


Scarlet Gaze | Hisoka Morow x OC

by NezuVIX



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Eventual Smut, F/M, Heaven's Arena Arc (Hunter X Hunter), Hunter Exam (Hunter X Hunter), Hunter X Hunter Spoilers, Nen (Hunter X Hunter), Oc Arc, Phantom Troupe Arc, Revenge, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:48:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 116,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25676860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NezuVIX/pseuds/NezuVIX
Summary: After passing the test, Vividus was given permission to leave the Kurta Clan's village and venture out into the outside world. But after falling for a certain spider, she didn't realize that falling for him would be the death of her clan and family. Vividus is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her revenge, it seems a certain Jester wants in on the action.[Disclaimer: I do not own any Hunter x Hunter content created by Yoshihiro Togashi! Only my Oc]*Slight Chrollo x Oc**Extreme Slowburn*
Relationships: Hisoka (Hunter X Hunter)/Original Character(s), Hisoka Morow/Vividus
Comments: 41
Kudos: 112





	1. Prologue

> **C H A P T E R O N E**

**~.:[Past]:.~**

"Vividus, I hereby grant you permission to leave for an indefinite period of time," said the Clan's Chieftain. Giving the woman a warm smile through his mustache and beard.

At that moment, everyone's expression widens in shock. While others gasped in shock, others screamed at the Chieftain, saying his permission was too much.

She couldn't help but stare in shock at the Chieftain as he told her the news. She cared nothing about what the other villagers said; she was content knowing she is the first villager to ever leave for such a long time.

As the Chieftain's words overwhelmed her, tears swelled up, streaming down her cheeks as she was overwhelmed.

Since she heard about the outside world and its wonders, she always tried her best to convince the Chieftain to let her go. But he never agreed to it; instead they got into arguments. The old man told her there was no point in leaving, the world was a horrible place, or she belonged here as a teacher to the young. When she threatened to leave, the chief warned that if she did so without taking the test, the family she leaves behind would be punished.

When Vividus discussed her desire to explore the world, her own people doubted her abilities. They looked at her with disapproval, laughed, or simply ignored her. She knows that stepping out of the forest is the greatest sin. Which is why she was a laughing stock in her village.

Despite their harsh words towards the young woman. She acknowledges that her people are afraid to step out due to discrimination and prejudice. She does not blame them for that.

As a result, Vividus is now even more passionate about reaching her goals. She no longer wants to live in fear like the rest of the villagers. She desires to discover the outside world and its wonders. She wants to grow into a better person.

Vividus trained hard every day to prove to the Chieftain and the people of the Kurta clan that she can handle herself in the outside world. The only people who supported her choices were her parents, Kurapika, and her little brother's friend, Pairo.

As her mother always told her: _“Hard work always pays off”_.

The time for taking the exam finally came, and Vividus passed it with flying colours. She was so proud of herself and proved her skeptics wrong.

"Onee-chan!" A voice called as she felt a small body tackle her into the ground.

As Vividus groaned, she looked up to see a pair of grey eyes gazing at her. "Kurapika!" she exclaimed, sitting herself up and hugging her little brother, planting kisses all over his face as the little boy pouted.

The boy, embarrassed by her affection, cried out "No, stop it! You are embarrassing me!

"Aw, don't be that way," Vividus purred, still hugging the poor boy.

The young woman glanced behind her to see a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see a familiar pair of hazel-grey eyes and blonde hair. It was her mother, the woman who helped her through everything that she had endured.

The encouragement she received from her mom pushed her to work hard as she does now. Her mother would say to her constantly;

_"I want Vividus to blow up this village's traditions!"_

Never once did her mother doubt her abilities. She was always there for her always. Vividus couldn't ask for a better mother like her.

“I’m so proud of you,” She said proudly as tears streamed down her cheeks as she embraced her daughter.

"Thank you, Mom," Vividus replied, smiling broadly.

Finally, after tormenting poor little Kurapika with love, she lifted herself off the ground and dusted off her dirt. She bowed toward the Clan's Chief and thanked him for giving her the blessing to pass the test and venture out into the outside world.

"Thank you so much for blessing me. I promise to make you all proud." Vividus said, standing up after bowing.

The Chieftain laughed wholeheartedly. "You know, it's not too late to become a teacher for the little rascals. I believe you can train them to become great fighters, just as yourself!"

Vividus put a soft hand on her little brother's head and chuckled softly. "I know, Oji-san. But with all respect, you know very well why I can't do that."

The old man sighed as he stared at the platinum-blonde. As he noticed the woman, he knew that this is what she wanted. He knows that since the argument, Vividus has worked every day to get to this point. Even though he wanted her to stay in the village, he knows she's made up her mind. Nothing is holding her back at this point.

He wished to respect that.

"I suppose there is no way to persuade you, hm?" The Chieftain said, finally accepting her answer one last time. He turned his body to the rest of the villagers.

"Now, folks! I hear we have to throw a celebration for Vividus tonight! Let's give her a feast one last time before she takes her leave, Kurta style!"

As everyone cheered and scattered to finish preparing the feast, Vividus paused for a moment with her family. Holding Kurapika's hand, she held her mother's in the other as they walked back to their home.

**_._._**

Up in Vividus's room, she began packing the items she needed for her adventure. As she packed her stuff, her little brother stood at the edge of her bed: his arms wrapped around her pillow as his eyes watch his big sister jump all over to make sure she had everything.

"Onee-chan," Kurapika said, tilting his head to the side, "when you leave, what will be your first destination?"

Stopping in her tracks, she placed her hand under her chin and considered. "Hmmm, I'm not sure." She replied honestly, "I heard if I want to find good work the Republic of Padokea may have something for me."

Kurapika's eyes glowed with excitement, "Wow, that's amazing! Isn't that where Heavens Arena is?"

"Heavens... arena?" Vividus asked slowly, making Kurapika sweat droplets form on his forehead.

"Yes! I overheard Dad and the others were talking about it. It's a tower that has over two-hundred plus floors. The higher you go, the more powerful you become! You also earn a lot of money! I heard once you become a floor master, you're set for life!"

The word money suddenly rang in her ears. "Maybe, I should compete there instead."

Kurapika pouted and threw the pillow at Vividus, causing her to catch it. "No way! You could get killed!"

The older sister laughed softly as she threw the pillow at her little brother. "Come on, Kura-chan! Maybe I'll become this awesome floor master, and we'd be set for life!"

Vividus ended up laughing as the brother pouted. Then out of the blue, the older sister felt her ear being pulled, causing her to yell in pain.

"You better not compete over there. If I find out you participate in such things, I will drag you back to the village myself!" exclaimed their mother, her angry aura emanating into the air.

"I-I was kidding, Mom!" Vividus exclaimed, still in pain as her mother continued to tug on her ear. "Ow ow ow ow ow!"

The mother tugs on the ear until Vividus begs her to stop. Finally, she lets go, causing Vividus to sit on the ground while holding onto her ear.

"So cruel.."

The mother rolled her eyes while ruffling her daughter's hair. "Mhmm, right." She started, "When you finish packing, I want you to come over to the living room. We want to give you something before we head over to the feast tonight."

With that, Vividus's ears no longer hurt as she stared at the door her mother left. She looked over at Kurapika, who was still sitting at the edge of the bed. Satisfied with how she handled things just now.

Kurapika said, "Well deserved."

Vividus sticks out her tongue at the boy, "Yeah, yeah, love you too, little brother."

Kurapika responded by sticking his tongue out and jumping off her bed, leaving her alone in her room while she finished packing her stuff. Looking down, she noticed her backpack containing everything she needed and her two wooden swords with bandages wrapped at the top with strong thread holding them both together.

As she completed her packing, Vividus made her way to the living room. When she arrived downstairs, she saw her parents and Kurapika standing over the table. Vividus looked at her family, confused, and then looked down to see a box with a bow.

"What is this?" asked the daughter, pointing toward the box.

"Open it!" Her father exclaimed, "This is a gift. We won't be seeing you for a long time, so we wanted to make sure you leave here with style."

Vividus couldn't help but chuckle. She brought the box closer to her and opened the lid. Her eyes widened in shock and she was surprised with the contents inside the box.

Reaching for a red jacket in the box, she lifts it, and as she turned it over a crescent moon appeared with swirls around it. At first people thought it an odd pattern, but only the Kurta Clan would recognize the style.

"I-it's beautiful..." Vividus said, trailing her fingers over the designs. "But it's not as traditional as the garbs or the tabard. Did you make it?"

She could see her mother nod her head, placing her head on her chest.

"Of course I made it! I knew you weren't interested in wearing traditional clothing. I did research on current styles in the outside world and put together this jacket for you. I added designs that represented our Clan. However, it was your father and brother who came up with the design on the back of the jacket." She turned to the two men and saw them nod in agreement.

Vividus held the jacket close to her. Feeling tears forming again, Vividus caught her family by surprise by crying for the second time today. "Thank you, guys...I love you all so much!"

After that, the three members embraced Vividus and let her cry into their arms. As she wails, she knows that the most challenging part of leaving his village is not seeing her family's faces. She loves them so much that she will do anything to protect them.

The woman knows that she can stay here in the village and become a teacher. She knows that she will have the option to just live with her family and people. However, Vividus knows this is something she needs to do, as she wishes to explore the world, to make her mark.

At the same time, Vividus wanted to develop herself, so leaving the village was the best choice for her to discover herself.

"I'll make you all proud," she promised.

**_._._**

As she tightened her bags, she looked back at the people who decided to see her off. Thankfully, it wasn’t everyone. The only people she cared about are here: which are her parents, Kurapika, and even Pairo himself.

Vividus prepared her chicken steed with the contents she needed for her travel. Wearing the red jacket her family gave her, she paired it with a black turtle top with red swirls down the sides of her leggings. She admits it is strange for her not to wear her typical Kurta Clan clothing, but she likes her overall look.

Pairo exclaimed, stars forming in his eyes as he admired her look. “You look so cool!”

The young woman blushed a little bit, happy to know that no matter what look she wears, her little brother will always think she's cool. "Thank you, Pai-chan, I shall treasure those words!"

Chuckling a bit, she would look over at Pairo. Only to see him suddenly look like he was about to cry. Giving the child a sad smile, she would reach her hand out and ruffle the brunette’s hair.

  
“Why are you sad little one?”

Hiccuping, he would use his sleeve and wipe his tears away. “I-It’s going to be different not seeing you around Vivi-nee.” Pairo replied, “Y-You taught me so much. You’re like the older sister I always wanted…”

“Aw...sweetheart.” She said softly, raising her hand up and wiped his tears away. “You’ll always be my little rascal. Even if we’re not related by blood. I know you’ll do just fine without me! We’ll see each other again someday.”

Nodding his head, he would try to gather as much confidence as he would. Taking a step closer, he would stand on his tippy toes and plant a small kiss on her cheek. Causing the Kurta woman to blush a bit.

“Thank you Vivi-nee,” He said cutely, “I hope to see you again someday.”

“Don’t worry. You will,” She chuckled, planting a small kiss on the top of his head. Causing the small brunette boy to blush.

Now looking over at her little brother, she noticed that Kurapika has been quiet for some time. As her hazel-grey eyes landed on the small boy, it broke her heart to see him so quiet and distant. With her smiling dropping, she would reach her hand out towards her baby brother and lift his chin up with her finger.

“What’s wrong little one?”

In spite of knowing what he was thinking, she wanted her little brother to express what he feels. It was awkward and unnerving to hear him silently. She thought he wasn't going to say anything.

But finally, Kurapika spoke, "I-I’m scared.”

Her eyes widened in shock, taken back by his comment. “Why are you scared?”

The blonde boy was shaking, and she knew that this must’ve been on his mind for a while. The young boy has always been very supportive and wanted to follow in her footsteps. But now that they had finally achieved their goals, the emotions he felt were overwhelming.

Looking up at his beloved older sister. Tears began to form on the brim of his eyes as he answered her question.

“I’m afraid you’ll never return to me once you leave,” he stammered, with tears streaming down his face. “What's worse, is I think I’m afraid something will happen to you, and you could possibly get hurt or worse...”

Kurapika didn’t need to finish his sentence, as Vividus knew exactly what he was implying when he said those words. At that very moment, Vividus felt a rush of emotions as she stared at her little brother, shocked by what he said. Her scarlet eyes were suddenly activating with the intensity of her emotions.

Her eyes turned scarlet not because of her anger but simply because her love for her little brother was there. Kurapika's eyes widened in shock, seeing her eyes turn red for the first time. Usually, the scarlet eyes appear during angry expressions.

But for Vividus, the look in her eyes is so warm and kind. Kurapika was in awe, he never realized that their scarlet eyes could activate in such a way.

"Please know, Kurapika, that you are the reason why I made it so far," Vividus said seriously, touching her brother's cheek. "No matter what happens, I will always come back for you, so do not worry about me."

She pulled Pairo over to her side and reassured, “And besides, we made a promise together that we’d travel together with you and this little guy. It was a promise we kept. So I promise you, that we’ll see each other again in the near future. That’s a promise”

Kurapika felt the tears fall. He tried his hardest not to cry. But he could not: they run through his body like a river stream. The boy hugged his big sister and cried into her shoulder. He said over and over again that he loves her.

As Vividus smiled warmly, she threw her arms around her little brother and the brunette boy, comforting them both with her soft voice and stroking their hair in the most comforting way possible.

She wanted to cry again, but her tears didn't appear. All she could do was let the boys cry it out, telling him it is ok, and that their parents are still there. Pairo too, he is in good hands.

Finally, after Kurapika's moment of crying: they finally pulled away from their embrace.

As they pulled away, she would look over at Kurapika and plant a small kiss on the top of his head. Looking at him deep into his grey eyes with a confident expression.

“Everything is going to be ok. Just remember to always work hard and behave yourself ok? I want you to show the villagers what you're made of. Make me proud ok?”

Nodding his head, Kurapika would nod his head confidently. “I promise.”

Soon, she turned her attention back to Pairo, also giving him a confident smile. “And you mister, keep being the kind-hearted boy you are and never change, ok?”

Leaning in, she would whisper something to Pairo, something for only he can hear. _“I also need you to promise that you will take care of Kura-chan while I am gone. Are you up for the task?”_

Pairo let out a small giggle, nodding his head and playfully saluting towards Vividus. _“I accept your challenge.”_ He whispered back.

Vividus nodded as she glanced at both young boys before her. Letting out a small sigh of contentment. Now standing up, Vividus ruffled their hair back and forth. Looking at her boys with longing.

“I’m going to miss you both.” She said, extending her pinkies with a last smile. “ Promise me you’ll take care of each other ok?”

As the two young ones nodded, they both locked their pinkies together. Now Staring at her in determination, they gave her a last grin.

“We promise!”

Vividus walked over to the chicken steed and hopped onto its back. She held the lead in her hand and took a deep breath, looking around the forest one more time, and then again at her family.

"I promise I'll be back! I'll see you all when I return!" She yelled, waving at her family members and Pairo.

She whipped the lead as she gave the chicken the sign to move forward. When the chicken made a howl, it began to run as fast as it could.

When she felt tears in her eyes, she finally began crying, as she watched the image of the people whom she held most dear slowly fade out of view with each step the steed made.

She knows from the beginning that this is what she wants to do. She’s finally out of the village and able to do what she wants. But, as she cried, she also knew that this is something she needs to do for herself.

She has always wanted this moment. This is the moment she has been waiting for. When she achieves her goals, not only she wants to bring back parts of the world to prove to her clan that there is nothing to be scared of.

But she also wants to make her family proud.

No matter how valiant her previous exploits may have been, Vividus knows nothing of what awaits her beyond the walls of her village.

Vividus didn’t realize but all the faces of her loved ones and a broken promise would become crewel reminders of her greatest mistake.


	2. Past × Questions

> **C H A P T E R T W O**

**~.:[Present]:.~ **

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you could have been anywhere in the world tonight but you're here with us in Heaven's Arena. Are you ready for tonight's battle?!"

The crowd erupted from the moment the announcer spoke. Everyone was screaming and cheering as this is the fight everyone has been waiting for. Since the match is considered to be a deadly battle, one can understand how ecstatic the crowd is about this fight.

"Tonight we've got two formidable fighters! First, I'd like to introduce you all to the famous Jester, Hisoka!"

The crowd started chanting the name over and over again as soon as the name was mentioned. The audience knows that if Hisoka is involved, the fight will be a slugfest to watch.

Hisoka straught forward, making his way towards the arena. Each step the Jester takes towards the battlefield, the more he was ecstatic. Licking his lips as he is looking forward to demolishing his prey.

"Now, dear friends, the moment you have been waiting for has come. Give it up to one of our youngest among our floor masters! Give it up to the one, only: VIVI THE DEATH EATER!"

Hisoka was surprised that the audience erupted with cheers and screams. He was not expecting such an overwhelming response from the fans. The crowd repeatedly chanted this fighter's name as if they worshipped her.

"VIVI! VIVI! VIVI! VIVI!!"

A figure emerges from the other side of the area. Catching a glimpse of his fighter.

With each chant, a figure emerged from the other side of the area. Catching a glimpse of his fighter.

This individual was wearing a loose black top, a scarf around their neck and her platinum-blonde locks tied up into a high ponytail. What intrigued the man was he saw his opponent wearing a deer skull made of ice to cover up their face. As he thoroughly examined his fighter, he couldn’t help but feel a Cheshire-like grin curl upon his lips.

As his opponent came closer, he felt himself become aroused as this was the fight he was waiting for. The woman he longed to fight since he first laid eyes on her.

"Wow, you have an interesting look," Hisoka said, wrapping one hand around his hips and the other around his neck. "I can't get over how fierce you are~."

He heard his opponent sneer. "You picked an unfortunate time to fight me." The voice was soft, but her tone had a sinister vibe to it.

Hisoka's eyes start to sparkle, "And why is that, my little doe?"

As the announcer begins counting down, the Jester catches a glimpse through the skull. In the audience's view, it's challenging to see her eyes too well. But for Hisoka, his lower region becomes more and more erect as her gaze hits him.

"Because I'm in a terrible mood." Said his opponent, venom dripping out of her mouth.

Although he is trying hard to conceal his moan, a small droplet of blood trailed down his mouth as he bit his lip hard. What drove him to the edge was the elegance of her eyes. How those deep, ruby-red eyes stared at his soul.

 _‘Scarlet eyes?’_ He thought to himself, surprised to see such a beautiful pair of eyes, _‘My word...this fight truly got more interesting.’_

He wanted to know how Vivi the Deatheater became the strongest floor master in history in just a year and who she is, so many questions were on his mind, aching to consume her.

Hearing the horn go off, the battle between the Jester and the Death Eater commences. Both fighters advanced towards each other, getting ready to fight. Hisoka was confident in his ability to win the battle. He was ready to rip that mask off her face and bath her hair in her own blood.

Even though he had the confidence himself to win this match, he never thought he would regret his words and experience his first loss at Heaven's Arena.

** ~.:[Past]:.~ **

* * *

"Vivi-chan, pay attention!" cried out a childlike voice, hearing the ground crumble beneath the feet of Vividus.

Looking down, she spotted a porcelain doll-like girl. She was wearing a red and pink sleeveless dress with her bottom half puffing out. Her hair is neatly tied into pigtails with red ribbons tied over them. Even though she looks young, Vividus knows that she is far wiser and older than anyone she has ever met.

Her name is Biscuit Krueger.

Despite her youthful looks, she is also quite a formidable fighter. Realizing what her Master is doing, Vividus jumped as far as she could away from the blow. Reaching her arm out, she managed to grab a large tree branch. Her heart was pounding so fast, she felt like it was about to explode out of her chest.

Vividus has been practicing with Biscuit for the last few days, trying to improve her fighting skills without using her nen. While she has been relying increasingly on her nen ability, her master decided to up her training and have her focus on using only raw strength.

Vividus hasn't had the best couple of days. Not one bit.

Vividus wept, holding herself up on the tree branch as she sways back and forth, "So cruel, Biscuit-chan, you nearly killed me!"

Biscuit scoffed at her comment, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't be such a baby, you and I both know very well that was an easy dodge!"

The Kurta woman rolled her eyes and said, "Right."

With that, Vividus jumped down from the tree and back onto the now cratered ground. The platinum-haired woman forgot how much strength she still had in that body of hers. Even wondered how she could maintain that form for so long.

"We'll call it a day, kid. I'm starving!" Biscuit shouted, stretching her arms up. "Good job, kid, keep it up, and you'll be an expert in no time!"

Vividus blushed in embarrassment, placing her hands to her sides while bowing toward the tiny figure. "Thank you so much!"

Biscuit blushed seeing how formal the Kurta girl behaved towards her. Shaking her head, she strode ahead. "No need to be so formal, just come on! Let's go back."

Vividus nodded her head, smiling brightly as she jogged up to the small figure. Starting to converse with her about what they should eat when they get back to the city.

It's been nearly a year since Vividus left the village. The beginning of her journey has not been an easy one for her. When she first entered the Republic of Padokea, she had difficulty figuring out where to go. She didn't know where to start.

When she first entered the village, that is when she first encountered Biscuit Krueger. When her master saw how powerful Vividus’s aura was, Biscuit explained how surprised how sloppy and unpolished her aura was. Due to the young woman’s presence, she was shocked no one chose to attack her.

Due to the strength of her aura, Biscuit decided to train Vividus and make her into a beautiful gem.

Considering she was hesitant at first, she was unsure if she could trust Biscuit at the time. But due to Biscuit being persistent, she made a deal with Vividus. If she beats her in a fight, Vivdus can go on her merry way. However, if she loses, the Kurta woman has to become her student.

As you may have guessed, Vividus lost (miserably).

Even though Vividus lost to Biscuit, that lesson ended up being one of her best experiences throughout her life. With her intense training, she was able to travel around the world with Biscuit. Due to how successful her training was, Biscuit took it upon herself and started training her in the arts of Nen.

With hard work and determination, Vividus’s abilities grew even more: she mastered the art of Nen thanks to Biscuit's coaching.

Since then, the young woman started to travel with Biscuit, assisting her to find the most beautiful jewels. Even though materialistic items don't interest her, it's travelling the world that caught her attention. Everyday with Biscuit there is always something new, never knew the outside world was so vast and charming.

The young woman couldn't believe how much the outside world has to offer, so she's thankful to be here.

"I'm surprised you haven't decided to take the hunters exam." Biscuit said, eating the piece of her cake. "You'll enjoy travelling around more if you take the exam. The hunter's license has a lot of perks."

Laughing nervously, Vividus scratched her head, knowing Biscuit's point. "I know, but I don't feel ready yet to take the exam."

Biscuit scoffed, "Sweetie, I know you are talented enough to pass the exam. With your level, you'll do great!"

Vividus took a sip of her mango smoothie, "I know, but I still feel like I have a lot to do before taking the test."

Biscuit shook her head, taking another bite of her cake, "I'm just saying, it will help you tremendously."

Vividus couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I know, but in the meantime, you're stuck with me!"

"That's only because I like having you around," Biscuit argued, pointing her fork at the platinum-blonde woman. "But training is coming to an end soon. Hell, I feel you’re more than capable of taking on the tower if you so desire. You are free to do what you wish.”

Vividus' eyes widen in shock, "Are you kidding me? You think I am capable of taking on the tower?"

Biscuit nodded her head, "Positive. There is only so much I can do for you in terms of training." She started, "Besides, at this point in time, I've taught you everything I could. If you venture out on your own, it'll give you great experience to polish your skills and turn you into a beautiful ruby~."

"Beautiful...ruby?" the Kurta woman asked slowly.

The porcelain doll nodded her head, referring to the gem in her scarlet eyes, using her free hand to tap the side of her head. Finally, the young woman realized what her master had meant.

"Oh."

Laughing softly to herself, Vividus placed her portion of the bill on the table. Picking up the mango smoothie with one hand and picking up her satchel with the other.

I'm heading out now, gotta let Kura-chan know I'm not dead. See you later, Biscuit-chan!"

After parting ways Vividus wondered where to go first. The young woman had been staying at Biscuit's place for the last few weeks and was mostly training on how to improve her skills. This was the first time in a long time that she could spend time alone and relax.

The Republic of Padokea is an exciting place; it's probably one of her favourite places in the world to visit due to how busy and fun it is. Considering how unique this place is: Vividus has a feeling this city is prospering because of Heavens Arena.

The city park is one of the most breathtaking places in the city. This is one of the most exciting spots for exploring. There are always entertainments running at this place, be it street plays, theatre, or just people walking around and enjoying the flowers.

That's probably why Vividus loves the park so much, the forest side always has flowers and trees. It reminds her of home.

The young woman started walking through the park, holding her notebook in hand and scanning the area in search of a place to write. She pouted, seeing that most of the park was filled with civilians and tourists.

“I just wanted to sit down,” Vividus grumbled, biting her lower lip in annoyance. "So many people today."

She scanned the area, trying to find a place to sit. Walking further and further into the park, she didn't realize she had entered the more secluded area.

She noticed that the area she is sitting at is less crowded and further from the busy crowd. She couldn't help but smile at how much more quieter the place is. After entering a clearing, her eyes widened in awe, looking at the view before her.

There, she could see a fountain of running water, matching the structure of the cherry blossom trees. With the view of the trees, she noticed more flowers spread out all over the place. It was like a secret garden no one knows about. Considering it was secluded and away from the crowd, she doesn’t mind how empty the area is: especially considering the time of day.

Walking closer to the fountain, she caught a glimpse of a young man around her age reading a book on a bench: he seemed to be very focused on it.

Vividus sat back, examining the young fellow before her. She could see the man wearing a tux, short black hair, and marble earrings. What caught her interest was that he had bandages on his forehead, as if he had gotten hurt recently.

"What happened to your head?" Vividus asked, disrupting the man's concentration on his book.

Looking up in shock, his eyes widened to see someone there. He looked from side to side, pointing at himself in confusion before asking, "Are you talking to me?"

Vividus nodded, "I mean...there's no one else here other than us, no?"

Taking in the woman's words, he closed the book and placed it in his shoulder bag. Giving the young woman his full attention, she blushed at the sight of how handsome this man was.

"I suppose you're right," he replied, chuckling softly, "What brings you here?"

Vividus took this chance to sit down on the edge of the fountain, she noticed his unwillingness to answer her question regarding his bandage, but she let it slide.

"I came here to write," the woman said, pointing at the crowd behind her. "As you can see, It's packed today."

The man said, "You're absolutely right," Looking at the audience behind her. Soon the man looked down to see her notebook in her hand which caught his interest. "If you don't mind me asking, what's that?"

Vividus was confused for a moment, but soon she glanced down to see his reference was to her notebook. "Ah, this! It's my notebook, I use it to write letters to my family. I was going to work on some today as it's been a while now since I last wrote to them."

"Really now?" The man asked, tilting his head to one side, "Sounds like you are far from home."

"Indeed I am," Vividus spoke, laughing nervously. The village I grew up in is on the other side of the continent. To be honest, the Chieftain of my clan didn’t want me to leave, but he eventually got over it."

She saw him raise an eyebrow, intrigued by her comment. "Why did you leave?"

She takes a pen out of her bag and taps the notebook with it. Trying to formulate her thoughts before answering him. "I wanted to explore the world."

He leaned his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, making her feel the hint that he wanted to learn more about it. Watching his dark onyx eyes pierce through into her own, she couldn’t help but blush even more.

"W-what are you doing?" she stuttered, feeling him invading her personal space.

He didn't answer her question, instead, he just stared at her. Staring with wonder,

"What do you hope to achieve when you finally explore the world? Fame? Glory? Power?"

Vividus felt her cheeks become hot, and her complexion turned red. Lifting her notebook to cover most of her face. All that could be seen was her eyes. Considering that she just met him, him appearing so close makes her more nervous than she would like to be.

"N-None of that." She answered honestly.

She watched the man's eyes widen in shock as she mentally facepalmed herself. Has she said something wrong? Why does he have a shocked expression on his face? Many thoughts ran through her mind as she felt like a stuttering idiot.

“Y-you see, none of those things interest me.” She replied, “To be honest with you...my people have always been scared to leave the village... not me, though. All I wanted to do was explore this beautiful world and all its wonders."

"Even if the people who live on this planet are monsters?" He asked, catching her off guard.

Despite his odd question, she felt herself slowly place her notebook back down in her lap. Feeling her shy demeanour suddenly turning into a confident one, she stared at him with content and genuinity.

“Even if people are monsters.”

Lifting her gaze, Vividus stared at the man before her, not showing her shy side anymore, but her confident side. Being surprised to see the difference in her presence, this man was now curious about Vividus' new demeanour.

"That’s just how the world is, no matter how much good in the world there is: there is always the balance of the bad. Call it yin and yang if you will.” She explained, smiling softly towards the man.

“But not everyone is like that. People who we call 'monsters' have a reason for becoming one in the first place. I feel that everyone has the opportunity to choose who they want to be. It’s up to them to choose their path.”

Taking in the view around them, Vividus would look around her surroundings and finish her final thoughts. “But at the end of the day, no matter what kind or cruel people are in this world, it does not change the fact that I want to explore it. Just because they are there, it does not make the world a bad place to see: it’s how you view it.”

She began to feel flustered again when she noticed he was quiet. Feeling her cheeks grow hot again, she suddenly felt overwhelmed again due to how long her expression was towards the stranger.

Vividus did not want to embarrass herself in front of this handsome fellow. She could tell he was an intelligent man. He was probably the first man Vividus has ever considered attractive.

Vividus expected him to walk away, but instead, felt his hand reach out for her notebook.

The young Kurta girl is startled to see that he has moved from sitting on the bench: His enigmatic eyes bore into her bright ones. The young Kurta girl can feel the sensation of his breath tickling her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"Interesting answer..." he muttered, staring at the woman in front of him. "What's your name?"

The young Kurta woman swallowed hard, feeling her heart beating so quickly that it felt like it would explode. "V-Vividus...and yourself?"

The man replied with a warm smile, slowly removing his gaze from her face. He grabbed Vividus' hand, slowly raising it to his lips and kissing it lightly. The platinum blonde, feeling ever so embarrassed, felt steam erupting out of her ears.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said softly, moving his lips away from her hand.

> **“My name is Chrollo. Chrollo Lucifer.”**


	3. Bonds × Contract

> **C H A P T E R T H R E E**

**_._._X.Present.X_._._ **

The first couple of minutes were pure chaos; everyone watching was having a hard time keeping up with how fast the punches and kicks were being exchanged between the combatants.

Due to how fast his opponent was throwing her attacks, It hardly gave Hisoka time to react and use bungee gum. Thus far, he is very impressed with how the opponent keeps up with him for so long.

As his little doe extended her hand towards him, he quickly dodged her attack.

However, suddenly he felt a cut on his cheek; his eyes widened in shock. Looking over, he couldn't see any sort of object in her hand, but instead saw something much more dangerous.

_Nen_

Those who aren't nen users would presume maybe her nails managed to make a clean cut on her cheek. However, people who are nen users can clearly see her hand is covered in a thin layer of clear water, held together by her nen.

Hisoka turned her attention to the water around her hand, where it was solidified, as sharp as a knife. The Jester's blood spilled into Hisoka's hand.

Jumping back, he held a defensive position. This fight was too much for him to contain himself, he was trying too hard to _behave_ himself. If he was being honest with himself, Hisoka isn't sure how much longer he can maintain himself.

"My little doe, you truly are a skillful opponent," said the jester, feeling his cheeks tingle as more blood trickled down his cheek. "There is so much to learn about you~."

Hisoka heard the little doe scoff, "Keep dreaming, you filthy clown."

** _._._X.Past.X_._._ **

* * *

As of recent, Biscuit informed Vividus that she will be gone for a while for an important business related to the Hunters Association. She wasn't sure how long it would be, but Biscuit told Vividus that she can stay at her place for the time being. While her master is away, the Kurta woman has some time to relax and focus on herself.

The Kurta woman has been meeting up with Chrollo ever since that day in the park. Whenever Vividus spoke to him, she felt like she was gaining insight into the outside world and what it has to offer.

Chrollo would teach Vividus what the world is about, telling her about each continent and the wonders of the world. Every word he said made her eyes sparkle, like someone telling a story to a child.

The woman was always charmed by the man's voice. As they became more acquainted, they became relatively close to one another. Vividus would lay her head on Chrollo's lap, holding the book above her head as she read the pages. The book would explain the geography of the outside world. Wondering which section would she like to learn about next.

"Hmm...what about that place?" asked the young woman, pointing at a page that reads, _The Lapet Republic_.

Chrollo's eyes widen in shock while stroking his fingers through the woman's platinum long hair. "I'm surprised you're interested in such a place."

"I mean, it is in the book, no?" She replied, skimming over the contents. "Strange...there isn't much information about this place. Do you know anything about this place?"

Chrollo held his chin in thought. "Surprisingly, I don't know much about that place. All I know is it was compared to Meteor City a lot."

"Meteor City..." Vividus repeated as the name rolled off her tongue. Looking back at the book, she tried to find a page or two devoted to the city the man mentioned. But she couldn't find anything.

She pouted, upset that she could not find the information she wanted. Vividus looked up at Chrollo. "Do you know anything about Meteor City?"

She watched him nod his head, giving Vividus a warm smile. "Of course, I was born there."

The Kurta woman looks at Chrollo with curious eyes. "Oh? Tell me more about the city then!"

The black-haired man chuckled softly and continues to play with Vividus's hair. Feeling his soft and loving touch, made her feel giddy feeling such sensations. Chrollo stares up at the clouds as he talks about his home in the cloud.

Meteor City is a junkyard where outcasts live. It's a place where you can't find anybody who isn't a criminal, so it's known as a haven of untraceable hitmen and assassins."

He looked down at Vividus, seeing if the topic was uncomfortable for her. But the woman didn't seem bothered; she seemed still interested in the lesson in the city. He felt a smile tugging at the end of his lips.

Chrollo continued.

"Due to people's untraceable records, it's easy for people such as the Mafia to hire individuals to complete the job. Besides that, it's also a city known as the world's dumping ground: that includes children to be abandoned and left behind. It's said to have the most diverse ethnic background because of that."

Chrollo could see a frown beginning to appear on Vividus' lips as she understood. The man tilted his head to one side, curious about her change of expression.

"What's wrong?"

The Kurta woman got up from Chrollo's lap, now sitting beside him. "Hearing about Meteor City was tragic to hear."

She started, placing her hand on top of his own. With the way Vividus is looking at Chrollo, he can tell she figured out that he was an orphan.

"If you don't mind me asking, how was it growing up there?"

It was a surprise to Chrollo when the woman asked him this question. When he is with another woman, they usually ask him about themselves, or strictly physical. But the look in Vividus's eyes was different. It was filled with genuine care.

She truly wants to get to know the man better. He's not used to this kind of affection.

"You don't have to answer if you do not want to." She reminded him softly. "I understand what I asked was a personal question."

Chrollo hesitated at first. Staring at the woman before her, he has never met someone as kind as her. He understood that this is the first time she's been out. But is she just stupid, or straight up Naive? Regardless, something about the look in her eyes made it hard for him to resist.

He shrugged a bit and chose to indulge the woman's question.

"No, it's fine, I don't mind talking about it."

Chrollo chuckled softly as he noticed Vividus shifted closer to him and rested her head on his neck. He let her get comfortable as he walked about his past as he gently stroked her platinum-locks again.

"Growing up in Meteor City was all about survival," he began, "It gets harder and harder each day. Even if it meant stealing from others. Since there were no adults around to guide us, we just stuck together and kept each other going."

As much as he wanted to tell her that he also had to kill people to survive, he decided it was unnecessary to mention the topic. Looking forward, Chrollo noticed a family walking by. The parents were both holding the child's hand, laughing with one another as it seemed they were enjoying each other's company. He lowered his gaze and let out a small sigh.

"I never knew my parents," He continued. "However, even though I never did, I didn't mind. Really. I didn't need them. I had my own gang of friends who are my family, even though they aren't related by blood."

The raven-haired man stopped stroking the woman's silk hair. He turned to look at Vividus to see what she thought. He expected her to look at him with pity, as people tend to feel pity for Orphans such as himself.

But instead, he was surprised. Blinking a few times, he realized Vividus stared at him with a warm smile. Her warm smile was so warm that it made his heart melt. He wasn't sure why she was so...

_Endearing._

"Why are you smiling like that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'll be honest; that wasn't the reaction I was expecting from you."

"Sorry, I couldn't help it," Vividus giggled, "I'm just happy for you."

Chrollo paused, taken aback by her words. "Happy? Why?"

Vividus no longer rested her head on Chrollo. As she looked forward, she saw the family in front of them. Seeing them so happy made her heart hurt a little. It reminded her of Kurapika and her parents.

When I was growing up, leaving the forest was considered a sin. If you left the forest without permission from the Chieftain, your family would be punished for your actions." She explained, "Ever since that day, I studied and trained every day to become strong enough for myself."

She paused for a moment, thinking about how different Chrollo is from her own upbringing. She felt a frown tugging at the edge of her lips but still kept her smile on.

"Honestly, I probably won't ever understand what it was like to grow up in such an environment. I don't think I'll ever will." Her eyes were now on the small child. He was so innocent and so energetic, it reminded her of Kurapika.

"However, the one thing I can understand about you better is that you care for your people, your _family_ , just like how I feel when it comes to my own. If it wasn't for my family's encouragement and love, I probably wouldn't be here, just like how if it wasn't for your companions, you wouldn't be here either."

She considered her final thoughts for a moment, trying to convey her point. "I guess my point is, you have people you can rely on. I am satisfied with the fact alone that you didn't have a lonely journey. "

Adverting her attention away from the family, she looked up at Chrollo. Her eyes widened a bit to see the man staring at her. Those beautiful onyx eyes bore into her own hazel grey hues as she tried to read his expression.

The more he stared, the more Vividus became flustered and embarrassed. Raising her hands, she began to wave them in front of herself as if she had overstepped her boundaries.

"I-I'm so sorry! If I offended you or overstepped my boundaries, I should have known better! I-"

At that moment, Chrollo cut her off by doing something unexpected. He planted a soft kiss on the top of her forehead. Something that Chrollo has never done before.

Vividus froze in place, unable to function. His actions caught the woman entirely off guard as she was not expecting this at all. As he parted his lips away, she felt Chrollo's forehead pressed against her own. Causing the Kurta woman to become flustered by his sudden affection.

"I don't deserve your kindness," he said softly, "But...thank you."

"For what?" she whispered.

"For listening." He stated, "I hope that one day if you're up for it: you're willing to meet my companions one day."

Vividus pats Chrollo's head affectionately as she raises her hand up, "Of course I would, it would be an honour to meet them. I guess I'm just nervous because I don't know if they'll like me or not."

Chrollo smirked, "Trust me, they'll love you."

Nodding her head, Vividus would look away from Chrollo. Trying to hide her face from his. The man was amused to see how flustered the young woman before him was. He couldn't describe this warm feeling he had in his chest. He knew that the woman before him was the cause of it.

But despite these strange feelings, he didn't mind them at all.

As for Vividus, this is the first time she has ever fallen for someone this hard. Back in Kurta's Clan, there wasn't really anyone who interested her. Chrollo managed to make the young woman feel emotions that she had never felt before for anyone.

"So, what are your thoughts about competing in Heavens Arena?" The black-haired man asked, changing the question as he pulled away from her touch.

Vividus replied, already missing the physical affection, as she leaned further back into the bench. Her lips curled into a sigh before she lifted her head upward. "I feel that my skills aren't ready yet, despite my master's reassurance."

Chrollo raises an eyebrow, "If your master already said you're ready, what's keeping you back?"

The young woman shrugged, pulling her gaze from the sky and looked over at Chrollo. "Even though I believe I have a good grasp on my abilities, I feel like my Master is right about me lacking experience. Due to not having experience, I guess that's why I feel I'm not ready to take on the tower."

The man beside her stayed quiet, placing a finger under his chin as he thought. This caused Vividus to tilt her head to the side.

"Whatcha' thinking?"

He looked back at Vividus and smirked. "Let's train together."

Vividus's eyes widened in shock, not believing the words he just said. During her time spent with Chrollo, she enjoyed conversing with him about the wonders of the world, getting to know each other, and other variety of things. Spending time with the man was always fun and interesting.

However, he offered to help her train? This was something she didn't expect from him. She remembered that in the past, she mentioned her training session with her master (Biscuit) and how she wanted her to take on the tower to better her skillset.

She told him that only because he wanted to know more about her. Vividus simply thought that Chrollo was an ordinary man she can converse with: she never thought he was a fighter.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, indeed I am," Chrollo said, looking at her with a serious expression.

"I-I don't know Chrollo," Vividus hesitated, "I mean, I appreciate the offer. But it's just I don't know how I feel about training with you."

"Why?" He asked,  
  


"Because I don't want to hurt you."

Chrollo chuckled slightly as she said those words. Looking at her with a raised eyebrow, "Trust me, I will be fine," he said smirking, "I grew up in Meteor City, remember?"

She took in his words and nodded a bit. "I-I suppose you are correct..."

After she finished her words, she watched Chrollo extend his hand out towards Vividus, giving her a warm, welcoming smile that always made her swoon.

"What do you think?" He inquired, "Will you accept my proposal?"

She could tell by the glint in his eyes that he genuinely wanted to train her, challenge her even. Looking at his hand, it felt like a contract was about to be signed between them. Their bond towards one another could change.

 _'Chrollo is right...training with him could help me become a better fighter.'_ Vividus thought to herself, _'Biscuit-chan did mention she's going to be gone for a while...maybe this would be good for me?'_

Vividus was suddenly torn. She wasn't sure if training with Chrollo would benefit her goals of travelling. If anything, it would delay her plans and she isn't sure if Biscuit would approve of her training with someone else. Hell Vividus hasn't even introduced Chrollo to Biscuit yet.

Yet at the same time, despite her new relationship with the man. Training with him could help her become a better fighter, she could rise through the ranks of Heavens Arena with little effort, and their relationship could grow into something more as time went on. His training could help her prepare herself and obtain the experience she needs.

'Maybe...this is the chance I need to take.' Vividus thought to herself, looking up towards the man before her.

Finally making up her mind, She nodded her head towards the Raven-haired man, taking hold of his hand as she accepted his contract by shaking it.

"I'll accept your offer." She said, finally making up her mind.

Hearing her response, Chrollo was now pleased with this outcome. "Delightful. We'll start tomorrow. Meet me here, and we will begin your training."

The young Kurta woman grinned in response, extremely delighted at the prospect of training with Chrollo, the man she has indeed begun to fall for. However, after that handshake...Vividus could not shake the horrible feeling she had in her stomach.

> **"** **_Why do I have a bad feeling about this...?_ ** **"**


	4. Battle × gone × wrong

> **C H A P T E R F O U R**

**Note: Hello everyone! I hope all of you are having a wonderful day :)**   
**I just wanted to share a picture with you all of what Vividus looks like!**   
**I got this commissioned on Fiverr from an awesome artist name: Pokihan. She did an amazing job on this art piece!**   
**I know you can't click on the link, but when you can please check her work out!**   
**Thank you!**   
**Link: www.fiverr.com/pokihan**

**Enjoy!!**

**:XPastX:**

**~.:Vividus:.~**

Despite being deeply missed by her master, the last few months were a dream for Vividus. She was able to spend more time with Chrollo. Besides training, she got to know the man on a much deeper level. Eventually, the man introduced her to family members: Feitan, Machi, Pakunoda, and Uvogin, who are all extremely unique individuals. Vividus liked knowing that she had managed to connect with Chrollo's family.

"Oi kid, if you beat Chrollo today, does that mean you're ready to compete in Heaven's Arena?" said Uvogin, taking a drink.

Vividus exclaimed, playfully punching the muscular man's arm. Uvogin chuckled in response. "I have to defeat him at some point, or else I won't be able to make my family proud!"

She felt a sudden soft touch on top of her head, only to see Pakunoda's face smiling warmly towards her. "I'm sure your people will be proud of you regardless, didn't you say you are their strongest?"

"One of their best," Vividus corrected, "but clearly not strong enough if I can't take Chrollo down."

"Kid, none of us can compete with him. Maybe Feitan can, but barely," replied Uvogin, asking the bartender to give him another drink.

"Just cut him." replied the platinum blonde as Pakunoda still patted her head: feeling instantly relaxed by her touch. "Enough about me, what about you guys?

As if on cue, Machi appeared at the bar where the three were sitting and took a seat beside Vividus, her arms held over her head. "Completing a few jobs here and there. Other than that, everyone else has been doing their own thing."

Vividus smiled wide from ear to ear upon seeing Machi. "Hi, Machi!" she exclaimed in delight.

The pink-haired woman waved at Vividus, looking up at the bartender and ordering her drink. "Hello, Vivi."

Returning a wave, she looked at the others and tilted her head to the side. Causing Pakunoda to pull away from her, she picked up her wine glass. "Work, huh? You guys never told me what you all do for a living."

Uvogin was about to speak, but he was interrupted by a short man with long black hair known as Feitan. "It's best to keep it that way."

Looking over at the platinum-blonde, he nodded his head towards her. "Chrollo wants you to meet him at the usual training spot. He's waiting."

Vividus could not help but pout. Uvogin was about to answer her question but Feitan interrupted her on purpose.

"Always ruining my fun, Uvogin was about to spill the beans!"

Rolling his eyes, he approached the table and placed himself next to Pakunoda. "That is the point, now get a move on."

The platinum blonde sighed, "Fine. I'll see you later!" she said, making her way from the bar.

Vividus didn't know why, but as she exited the bar, she was wondering how she would beat Chrollo today.

She knows the Raven-haired man is a lot stronger than her in a lot of ways, so whatever she does in today's mock battle she has to think outside the box. She wants to show him that their training wasn't in vain.

 _‘Today is the day,’_ she thought to herself.

The day Vividus lands a hit on Chrollo.

**~.:[Pakunoda]:.~**

Pakunoda watched the platinum blonde disappear as only the troupe remained in the room. Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair.

"What's wrong with you, Paku?" Machi asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"You know exactly what." She replied, looking over at Machi with sad eyes. "Vividus is very innocent, so it's remarkable she treats us as normal human beings."

"Because that's all she knows about," Uvogin replied, spinning the beer contents in his pint glass. "I want to keep it that way for once."

"She's going to find out eventually," Pakunoda murmured, taking a sip of her wine. She looked at Machi, who also had a sad expression on her face. Nodding her head in agreement.

"Until then," Feitan interrupts everyone's thoughts, "That will remain the case, the boss ordered that no part of our lives might be disclosed. At least when Vividus is in our presence."

It is true, ever since the boss introduced Vividus to them, he was very clear he didn't want them to disclose anything about their status as the Phantom Troupe. Which surprised everyone since this is typically not his style.

After getting to know Vividus, the others figure out why the boss is so fond of her. She just...brings life to the room. Even though the Phantom Troupe has been known as a group of criminals, she reminds everyone that everyone has a human side.

It...was a pleasant change.

As Pakunoda stared at the contents of her wine, she narrowed her eyes towards her drink as many thoughts ran through her mind.

 _‘I wonder how long he can keep this up for?’_ She thought to herself as she drank the last drop of her wine.

**~.:[Vividus]:.~**

Vividus closed her eyes and took slow and steady breaths as she started to focus on her Aura. Thinking back, she remembered Biscuit placed a clear wine glass with water in it and a leaf on the surface. Vividus's past self would look up at her master in confusion, wondering what her master is up to.

Biscuit's voice echoed in her mind as she explained the purpose of the Water Divination test. As Vividus took in the information, she followed her master's instructions and did what she was told. She placed her hands on each side of the glass, she focused her ren towards the glass as it revealed to her what kind of nen user she was.

As she remembered the vivid image before her, she watched the leaf move in the water. Raising an eyebrow, she looked up at Biscuit with curious eyes.

 _"The leaf moved."_ She said.

_"Interesting!" Biscuit said to her student with a large grin. "You're a manipulator."_

Vividus learned that Manipulator users have the ability to control living or non-living things, including aura constructs. The advantage of having the ability to manipulate the enemy is that they are capable of doing it themselves. Due to how terrifying the ability is, it has numerous conditions that have to be met to be used. The more difficult conditions are to meet, the more control a manipulator has.

She spent a lot of time thinking about what would be helpful for her during combat. What can she control in her favour that would work in most situations, whether during or outside of combat?

When she travelled the world, she noticed one thing that always caught her attention, one element in this world that every living human and creature needs for our everyday lives.

_Water._

According to her research, water is essential for life in countless ways. People cannot grow crops, keep livestock, wash food or wash their bodies without water. Besides air, this element alone is what keeps this world going.

So for Vividus, she decided to focus her ability on controlling water. After a lot of hard work, she decided to call it _Aqua-Control._

She can use her nen to control the water around her. So far, she has been able to turn water into either a liquid or a solid matter. Additionally, she can transform the water into weapons and objects. However, the larger the weapon, the more water it will consume.

Although controlling the water element benefits Vividus greatly outside of his battle, it requires a lot of conditions to fulfill. One of them being the amount of nen she requires to control water, so her nen depletes quickly. Considering she won't have water on her at all times: she learned to take water from the environment if she needs to. However, the water has to be at least seventy percent of water to be controlled.

A condition to using her nen ability is that Vividus must drink at least three litres of water a day. The less water she has in her body, the harder it is to control her ability. If there is no water source around her, she will remain defenceless. She worked hard on her physical strength so that if things get rough for her: at least she is able to handle herself with her strength. But it won't be an easy time for Vividus.

Looking up at the Raven-haired man, she narrowed her eyes towards him as he regarded her with a small smile on his lips and got into a fighting stance. With Chrollo training her, she had enhanced her fighting abilities and her raw strength.

When Chrollo questions Vividus about the Nen ability, she keeps it to herself. Vividus doesn't want to give away all her secrets, despite developing very strong feelings for the raven-haired man. She does not want to leave herself exposed too much.

"Let's dance," Vividus said, as her aura surged around her body as she commanded the water from her waterskin pouch elegantly.

Vividus stared at Chrollo as he held a book in his hand, letting her nen flare-up. She did not use her zetsu to conceal herself as she wanted to show Chrollo she was prepared for battle.

Having seen the water float around her, Chrollo was fascinated by the unique abilities of Vividus. Smirking, he sat in his own stance. Letting his nen breakthrough, he also released only enough power to match the woman.

"Let's," he said smoothly, feeling a bit enthusiastic for today's training session.

The male and female stared intensely as no one made a move, but on cue: they came towards each other — both engaged in hand-to-hand combat as that's how the fight began.

Chrollo throws his fists towards Vividus while she blocks them as swiftly as she can. When Vividus swings her leg towards the man, he catches it and attempts to throw her into the ground.

Just in time, she would use her palms to push back against his force, taking the opportunity to then kick him in the jaw. Chrollo saw her plan and released a hand. Blocking her kick.

She managed to backflip away from him and landed back on her feet. Vividus turned and swung her arms around as she controlled the water to form into ice shards, shortly aiming her palms toward the man.

Seeing the shards coming towards him, Chrollo would jump back and ducked towards the tree and quickly hid behind it. Only hearing loud piercing noises of the shards embedding themselves into the tree.

While the shards are stuck inside, the black-haired man gathered nen into his fist and punched the tree. As the tree began to fall, Chrollo leapt into the air and kicked it towards Vividus.

The platinum blonde's eyes widen in shock as the tree flies towards her. Vividus swings her arm back as she turns her elbows to her side: causing the water to quickly return to her hand and to turn into a wolverine's claw.

On impact, she would focus her nen into her claws, swinging her arms down as the tree cut into two, then heard one of the halves collide into another tree.

As the man raised his fist into the air, he used his nen to form his fist again and turned his attack into a more powerful attack. As he readied his attack, Chrollo sprinted towards her and positioned his attack.

Vividus caught sight of Chrollo and swung her arms forward, controlling the water to form into a shield in front of her. Bracing for his attack, she hoped this would be enough to protect her.

Or at least that's what she thought.

Chrollo's fist collided with Vividus' crystallized shield, making her protection start to break. Realizing the danger the punch would pose, she managed to jump back to avoid the blow. A gust of wind sent her flying backward as she saw him punch through the shield and his fist hit the ground. She managed to decrystallize the ice and used it to cover her back to prevent further injury.

Nevertheless, it hurt like a bitch.

After reaching the last tree, the woman gasped in pain and felt blood escape her lips. She stood up weakly and tried to regain her composure as she used her arm to wipe the blood off her lips.

Vividus started to notice that Chrollo used an ability from his book again to enhance his physical attacks. Not to mention he isn't holding back today.

Spitting her blood on the ground, she took this moment and hid in the trees. Before using Zetsu to conceal herself. Using what little water she had left, she used her nen to control the water and made a new claw to protect herself. Vividus realized that she would be seriously screwed if she faced Chrollo again.

She refuses to lose today's fight.

"Oh, so we're hiding are we?" Chrollo asked, walking toward the tree on which Vividus had landed. "Do you really think that would help you in this situation?"

The blonde hair rolled her eyes a little. Hiding in the shadows, she didn’t say anything and watched his every move. From her training with the man, she knew he was a force to be reckoned with.

She noticed that every time they trained together, he always had a different ability. Every session always involved the book in his hand.

 _'He must be a specialist,’_ Vividus thought to herself, as she watched the man go about looking for her. _'Can he copy other people's nen? Or take them away? Regardless...it looks like bad news._ '

Vividus's hazel-grey eyes stared him down, seeing him enter a clearing. She could tell that he still had a stupid smile on his face and how calm he was.

She is getting annoyed by it.

In the kurta woman's mind, she felt that if she doesn’t act soon, he will switch abilities again.

 _‘I need to act now.’_ She thought to herself, starting to formulate a plan in her head.

**~.:[Chrollo]:.~**

The raven-haired man stood in the clearing listening to the leaves rustle around him. Chrollo started to observe the environment he’s in and took in the view. He always felt so peaceful out here. It's different from Meteor City.

"Vividus," He said, opening his arms spinning himself around as he is trying to not come off as a threat. "Maybe if you give up, the drinks are on me when we meet up with the others." By others, he is referring to the Phantom Troupe.

No response.

 _'She must have been determined today,'_ Chrollo thought to himself, with a finger on his chin. _'Her Zetsu has improved a lot lately...I suppose it's time to change up my strategy to help track her down.'_

Taking this moment, Chrollo lowered his nen, not feeling the need to flare it up. Considering that Vividus is now going for a stealthier approach, he needed to change his tactics, as she was also taking today's fight seriously today.

_'She's really motivated to beat me today,' Chrollo thought, 'I wonder what's getting her so excited?'_

The first time they met, Chrollo didn't realize that he would spend so much time in this city. All he really wanted was to steal an antique book, and training Vividus wasn't a part of this plan.

Chrollo is a master actor and quite manipulative. He is a cold-blooded killer and will do anything to attain what he wants. He is the type of man who is happy to live alongside death.As the spider's head, he is a born leader and is able to keep his members together despite their volatile personalities.

The motto of the group is "Stole What You Want". He wants to ensure he maintains their reputation as the best thieves in the world. That will always lead an illegal lifestyle.

During the time he spent with Vividus, he started to experience these new feelings he never felt before. Being in her presence made him feel a bit more...human as each day passed.

As has started experiencing emotions he had never felt before. As he spends more time with Vividus, his barrier is slowly eroding.

Which made him question himself because he never had this experience before. He tried to separate himself from the platinum-blonde, but something prevented him from leaving. He just couldn’t place his finger on it.

But with Vividus, any time he was around her, his heart would always beat for her. He found it ironic, the man who steals for a living: somehow got his heart taken from a woman he just met at the park.

He's gotten to a point where Chrollo values Vividus so much, he's not sure how he would feel if they ever parted ways.

Shaking his head, he tried his best to snap out of those thoughts. Right now, he needs to focus on the mock battle he's having with Vividus. His pride is refusing to let her have the satisfaction of being victorious.

Focusing on the task at hand, Chrollo knew he had to come up with the best strategy to defeat Vividus's _Aqua-Control_. He knew that Vividus' nen ability was very powerful, so he would need something to counter her attack.

Looking at this book, he was going to skim its pages and put a new bookmark on a page. But suddenly he saw a figure appear in front of him.

Chrollo's eyes widen in shock to see a familiar platinum-blonde raising her arms up in the air, swinging her claws up toward his body. As he stared at the woman before him, all he could see was the horrified expression that was plastered on her face when she realized Chrollo wasn’t moving from his spot.

When his deep onyx eyes locked with hers, Chrollo's body froze as if he could not move for that moment. He no longer saw those unique hazel-grey hues, but a new pair of scarlet eyes.

He never imagined such beautiful eyes existed in this world.

“Chrollo what are you doing?” He heard Vividus scream, “Move!”

Even though Vividus yelled these words, it was already too late.

Blinking a few times, he felt a pain erupt when she landed her strike. Hearing a loud thud land behind him, he blinked a couple of times as he tried to process what just happened.

For the first time in his life, he was caught off guard. Everything around him went in slow motion. His body grew weak and he felt as though something was no longer attached to him. Looking down, his eyes widened in surprise by what the woman did to him:

Vividus amputated his arm.

He watched his blood spill out of his decapitated arm. Blood dripped out of his mouth as more pain filled his body. Looking back over at the platinum-blonde beauty, he still couldn’t help but stare deep into her eyes. Not wanting to look away from her beautiful hues.

He wasn't sure why, but after seeing those stunning eyes, the pain in his body was no longer there, but instead, he now felt alleviated.

 _'Beautiful...'_ Was the last words he thought to himself before his body fell backwards.


	5. The × Promise

> **C H A P T E R F I V E**

She took it too far.

Vividus didn't realize that this mock battle went too far. Tears started running down her cheeks as she saw his arm being severed from his body and made her realize that she truly messed up.

"CHROLLO!!" Vividus screamed, letting the water drip from her hands. She ran over to Chrollo, catching him before his body hit the ground. "I'm so sorry!! I didn't mean to take this too far."

The man beneath her started coughing blood. "I-It’s ok... sure Machi will be able to patch me up."

She looked around and saw that his arm was beyond her reach. Looking down, she could see that blood was leaving his body at an alarming rate. Even if she reattached his arm, he had already lost too much blood.

If she doesn't act now, Chrollo will die.

Vividus curses over and over as more tears fall down her cheeks. If she calls Machi, she knows that they wouldn't make it here in time. By the time she gets to the training grounds, Chrollo will be long dead.

The young Kurta woman shut her eyes, trying to figure out how to save him.

Shooting her eyes open, Vividus realized what she needed to do.

Activating her new and used the last remnants of her water, turning it into a sharp knife. Grasping the knife in her hands, Vividus winced in pain as blood started to drop out of her wound.

With her hand flowing with blood, she reached towards his severed arm, allowing it to attach itself to the arm and command it to bring it to her side.

Chrollo looked up, breathing heavily, and looked at Vividus with weak, worried eyes, "V-Vivi... what are you doing?"

The platinum blonde stared deeply into Chrollo's eyes, smiling reassuringly. "I'm going to save you."

At that moment, Chrollo was going to protest. But was cut off by Vividus's sudden surge of strong nen. The young Kurta woman opened her palm and placed it over Chrollo's injury. Controlling her blood, she watched it attached itself to his shoulder and severed arm. The moment it did, her blood started to glow bright red.

" _Heal Pulse_..." Chrollo heard Vividus whisper.

Looking downward, Chrollo stared at the sight before him, not wanting to take his eyes off what Vividus was doing. However, he was forced to look away because of how blinding the light was.

After a few moments, the glowing stopped. As he groaned in response, he raised his arm up and started to rub his eyes. As he rubbed his eyes, a thought finally dawned in on him.

 _'Wait..._ '

Slowly rising from his position, Chrollo looked at his arm, the arm that had been cut off by Vividus earlier was now fully restored. Scars that were previously there were also gone. By turning his hand and moving his arm, Chrollo realized he felt less dizzy or in pain than he had before. For some reason, he also felt as if he never lost blood at all.

He was stunned by what had just happened.

"Just..." He turned his attention to Vividus, wide-eyed the entire time. His dark black eyes connecting with her piercing red eyes. "How?"

"Magic." She replied with a weak, soft laugh.

As Chrollo began to observe Vividus he noticed something was off. Even though her eyes are back to normal, her eyes looked as if it was glazed over and her skin no longer held its natural peach tone.

When he looked down at the open wound of her hand, and then back at his arm, it finally dawned on him what Vividus had done. Staring at the woman before him, he was horrid with the condition Vividus had to meet in order to heal him.

“You sacrificed your blood to save me?” he cried, “I’m not worth suffering for, why did you do this?”

Vividus swayed side to side. Her vision was foggy and made an attempt to reach out to Chrollo, but no words were spoken. She eventually closed her eyes and fell into his arms. The last thing Vividus heard was Chrollo calling out to her.

"Vivi!"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Slowly opening her eyes, the young woman was blinded by an overwhelming bright light. Hissing loudly, she raised her arm to block the brightness out of her eyes. Looking down, she could see that she was on top of a comfortable bed covered in a blanket. Letting her eyes adjust, she looked around to see that she was back in Chrollo's apartment.

Vividus was relieved to know that she is safe; however, even though she is safe: her body still feels like it was hit by a truck.

Moving her body up, she leaned against the headboard of the bed. As she looked down towards her body, Vividus could see she had on a t-shirt and shorts. Her left arm was covered with bandages and some were wrapped around her head.

Trying to recall the last event that had happened, she finally started to recollect her memories and remembered her fight against Chrollo. To make matters worse for herself, she exposed her scarlet eyes to Chrollo: let alone nearly killing herself in the process by saving him.

When Vividus's eyes become scarlet, she becomes a specialist. She can only use a few abilities in this mode. One of them being _Heal pulse_.

Using this ability will enable Vividus to heal and restore the person's injury, or even a missing body part. However, using this ability entails severe consequences. She must sacrifice her blood in order to restore the body part or heal the wounded. Considering her blood type is O+, she can heal anybody.

However, once she uses this ability, she will pass out due to blood loss and be knocked out for 48 hours to a week. Everything depends on how much blood she loses. Even though she can heal and restore the person's body, Vividus can't bring back the dead. To make matters worse for her, she can only heal others, but not herself.

Due to the extreme danger of this ability, Biscuit made her use it only under life or death situations.

Vividus looked down at her wrapped up hand and clenched her fist as she was frustrated that she revealed Heal Pulse to him. She knows it was a life and death situation, but she felt like she let Biscuit down.

She began to think many thoughts but soon stopped when she heard the sound of the door opening. Turning her attention towards the door, she saw Chrollo and Pakunoda enter the room.

"You're awake!" exclaimed Pakunoda, rushing over to her side. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," Vividus said as she ran her fingers through her hair. "How long have I been out for?"

“A week,” Pakunoda responded, “After you healed Chrollo, he rushed you back to us. We tried everything we could, but you wouldn't wake up. So you've been here for the past week."

Vividus was unable to help but frown, she looked down and grabbed onto her blanket. Feeling her hands begin to shake, "I-I'm so sorry for making you all worried."

Chrollo sat facing Vividus's bed, his hand gently supporting her shaking hands. "Nonsense, we're just glad that you finally woke up."

The black-haired man looked at Pakunoda and gave her a look. As soon as she caught a glimpse of his eyes, she bowed her head and left the room. She knew what he wanted: alone time with Vividus.

"Let the others know you're awake," Pakunoda said, looking at Vividus with that warm smile. "I'll check on you later."

Before she could reply, the bedridden woman watched her friend walk out of the room and close the door behind her, leaving her alone Chrollo.

It was awkward, extremely awkward. Deep down, she wasn't sure whether she was ready to talk to the man. Especially since she nearly killed him. Having done so, she was already in a vulnerable state. She was worried that Chrollo wants nothing to do with her after this encounter.

If that was the case, she doesn't blame him at all.

"C-Chrollo..." Vividus stammered, looking away. "I-"

"Don't," Chrollo ordered, "I know what you're about to say, and please...don't apologize."

Vividus felt her eye twitch and narrowed her eyes towards the black-haired man: not happy at his response.

"I have too! I came close to killing you for God's sake!"

"So?" replied Chrollo, shrugging his shoulders. "It was a battle, what do you expect?"

"You almost died." Vividus replied, "It was supposed to be a mock battle, but not a fucking deathmatch."

The man gave her a blank stare, not swayed by her words at all. "I still don't see the problem with this. Besides, it isn't the first time I almost died, it's no big deal."

" _It's no big deal,_ " Vividus repeated mockingly. "Urgh, you're so aggravating."

"You love it." Chrollo retorted back, causing the poor woman to blush.

"Shut up! That's not what this conversation is about!" the Kurta woman yelled, pouting at him since he is not taking this situation seriously at all.

Chrollo can't help but smile – he was already enjoying her reactions after only being around her for a few minutes. While she was in bed, he missed being around her due to her positive energy. He's grateful that she woke up finally.

He couldn't help but stare at her. Someone as innocent as she is too good to be true. As he felt his heartbeat against his chest again, he felt his eyes soften towards the platinum-blonde. He wasn't sure what he would've done knowing she risked her life to save his own. Especially a murderer such as himself.

There was a silence between the two of them for a moment. Chrollo looked at Vividus and examined her features. Her long platinum-blonde hair, those hazel-gray eyes. Every time he saw her, that odd feeling he felt was swelling up in his chest again. To this day, he still doesn’t understand what it is.

"Vivi..." Chrollo began, "We need to talk."

Vividus felt her body stiffen suddenly, looking at the man confused, "About what?"

"About your affiliation with the Kurta Clan." the man said bluntly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Vividus let out a frustrated sigh, turning away from him as she blinked. She was stumped since she wasn't sure how to respond. The young Kurta woman cares deeply for Chrollo and truly does. Despite how deep her feelings for the man are, she swore never to let anyone know where she comes from.

Even though she worked hard to get permission to leave the village, it did not mean she discarded her Kurta side. She promised herself to keep this part of herself hidden. The only person she could trust was Biscuit, her master.

The poor Kurta woman couldn’t bear the thought of people coming after her family because of their scarlet eyes. Even though it has been over a hundred years since the Scarlet Eye Hunt has taken place, the thought of people willing to kill them makes her tremble

Vividus wasn't willing to take a chance.

"I couldn't," Vividus replied, staring away from Chrollo. "I didn't say anything because it was too risky."

"Too risky?" he responded indignantly to her answer. "So basically, you don't trust me."

"I don't trust _anyone_ when it comes to my family." Vividus snapped, turning her attention back to the man before her.

Chrollo's eyes widened in shock at the sight of those beautiful red eyes again. Her deep gaze bore into his soul, sending shivers throughout his body.

Vividus crossed her arms over her chest and continued her statement "A hundred years ago, my people were hunted down and slaughtered because of our eyes, as if it were a sport. You must understand that I couldn't risk putting my family and people in danger."

Her voice trailed off as she acknowledged the sad reality of this world. As she lifted her gaze toward him, Chrollo no longer recognized her worried expression. Her expression soon changed to that of determination. With her eyes staring deep into his own, he could sense that she truly loves her family, sensing that she would do anything to protect them.

"Chrollo, I am willing to die for them, even if that means going against you."

Chrollo felt his cold heartbeat again, moved by her words. He wasn't sure what was getting to him. Her moving words, her eyes, perhaps even both.

He felt his hand cup Vividus' cheek gently and stroke it with his thumb. The black-haired man watched the woman's cheeks flush red. Not expecting his sudden affection.

"Vivi, you know I care about you deeply," he said, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Maybe not right now, but maybe one day: I hope that you are willing to trust me enough to let me meet your family. Just like I introduced you to my family. But until then...I'll wait until you're ready:

 **I promise.** "

After Chrollo had finished speaking, he pulled back and looked down at Vividus with a warm expression. As he cupped her cheek, he leaned in and kissed her lips.

As her scarlet eyes widened in shock, this was something she didn't expect Chrollo to do. Feeling her eyes close, she snaked her arms around Chrollo's neck and returned the kiss, kissing him deeply.

As time passed, the two pulled away from one another, Chrollo seeing how flustered the female Kurta was. Smirking at her, he would wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her close, feeling her warm body against his cold.

"You're too patient," Vividus whispered into his ear. "Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve you."

Hearing this statement, it caused Chrollo to chuckle lightly. Raising his hand and starting to stroke Vividus's platinum-blonde locks. Having her in his arms like this, Chrollo didn’t want to let her go.

"The sentiment is mutual."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

The Kurta woman finally fell asleep after Chrollo spent time with Vividus. As he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, he left the room and shut the door behind him.

Walking down the hall, he entered the living room to find Pakunoda sitting on the couch, while Feitan sat across from her. Both of the troupe members looked at him and raised their eyebrows to see their leader emerge from Vividus's room.

"How is she?" Pakunoda asked monotonously. "Better I hope?"

"She'll be fine," Chrollo replied, walking over to the kitchen for a glass of wine. "She'll be up in no time."

"I see," Pakunoda replied, watching her leader's movements. "So what are you going to do now that you know that Vivi belongs to the Kurta clan?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Chrollo inquired.

"With all due respect, boss," the blonde replied, now standing. "You know exactly what I mean."

Feitan narrowed his eyes and stood up, now facing Packunoda. "Pakunoda, calm down. You're going to wake up Vividus-san."

She stared at her companion, staring at him with an upset expression on her face.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Feitan! We all value Vividus dearly, but knowing that she belongs to the Kurta clan changes everything!"

Feitan has never seen her lose her self-control before. Usually, she is always calm and in control of her emotions. Out of all the members of the spider troupe, Pakunoda was the one who could easily blend into society. She always has it together. Her acting the way she did was out of character, and it's clear she genuinely values Vividus.

Feitan sympathized with the woman, but Chrollo was unmoved by her comment.

"This won't change anything." the leader responded, making his way to his two comrades and sitting down on the couch. "We will still proceed with the mission. If anything, this makes it easier for us."

"Boss, we will lose Vivi if we do this." The blonde woman said as she was having a hard time staying composed, "Please reconsider."

Chrollo gave Pakunoda his full attention and stared her down, making the poor blonde shiver. He sighed and placed his wine on the coffee table.

"Have lost sight of who we are, Pakunoda? We are the Phantom troupe, we _kill_ people for a living and take whatever we want. Hunting the Kurta clan is no different, regardless of who is related to them."

Pakunoda looked down at the ground, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She knows Chrollo had a valid point. They are killing machines, it's what they do. That's how they survived so long in meteor city: to take whatever they wanted.

"I understand, boss, but don't you still care for Vivi? Didn't you promise to protect her?"

After hearing Pakunoda's response, Chrollo sighed, sinking further into his chair and staring out the window at the nightlife city.

As he closed his eyes, an image of Vividus appeared in his mind: it was a meaningful memory of her standing in the park. Around them, there were trees all around them as leaves started to fall all around the Platinum-Blonde Beauty. She turned around and faced Chrollo, reaching out her hand towards the raven-haired man, as if she were about to embrace him.

As her hand got closer to his face, the view suddenly changed.

With the new view in his mind, all he sees is blood; he can only hear screams and the troupe members killing every member of the Kurta Clan. Vividus stared at him, the look of betrayal plastered all over her face. Her eyes glowed scarlet as blood poured down her cheeks.

Watching her reach out, she placed her blood-stained hand weakly on Chrollo's cheek. Shaking her head as she mumbled one simple word that made his heartbreak.

' _Why?_ '

 _'Why indeed...'_ Chrollo thought to himself, slowly lifting his hand up and cupped her cheek one last time.

Soon, he watched Vividus's eyes widen in shock. As she looked down, all she could see is a knife impaled into her stomach: Watching the blood starting to spill out of her body. Slowly closing her eyes, Vividus no longer had her hand on his cheek and disappeared out of his view.

Watching her disappear like sand. It finally occurred to him why he's doing this.

He realized that the more time he spent with Vividus, the more his emotions were beginning to show and the more unwanted doors started to open. Even though he was a monster, he had become more human because of all the time spent together with the woman. The man was too prideful for himself to let a village girl change his heart.

He is Chrollo Lucifer. He is a calm, intelligent man. A born leader who was meant to lead his people, the Phantom Troupe. He is fully aware that he is a manipulative, sadistic man, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve what he wants, even if that means killing others.

He fears that if he doesn’t let go now, he won’t be able to turn back.

Shooting his eyes open, he looked away from the window and at his two comrades. As they both saw a calm, yet the familiar emotionless expression on his face. After hearing their leader let out a low chuckle, Feitan and Pakunoda saw a cold smile spread across his lips.

"I care deeply for Vividus, but that does not change the fact that we are murderous thieves. If lying to her is the only way to achieve our goals, so be it.” He replied.

As Chrollo picked up his cup of wine, he stared at the deep red colour in the glass with a deep thought as he started to articulate his final words.

> **_“Trusting the wrong person was her mistake. Not mine.”_ **

《Author's note》

Hello everyone! I just wanted to say thank you so much for reading the series up to this point! It makes me happy to know you've read this far! 

You're probably sitting there thinking "What the hell I came here for some Hisoka x OC action". I promise you there is a method to my madness! The next two-three chapters will definitely end Vividus's Past Arc. I know it's a slow start, but we are almost there! 

Otherwise, I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves! As a thank you, here are some pics of Hisoka and Chrollo ;)

Bye for now!


	6. Gut × Feeling

> **C H A P T E R S I X**

**_._._X.Past.X_._._**

It's been a few weeks since the mock battle between Chrollo and Vividus. Ever since that moment they have become closer than ever. The raven-haired man has always been nothing but kind and supportive of her. Even during her recovery.

After that fight, Chrollo declared Vividus ready to face Heaven's Arena. Considering she was able to land the hit on Chrollo, she felt pretty proud of herself. After training both under Chrollo and Biscuit, Vividus felt like she was ready to take on the world.

But before she decided to compete, Vividus felt it was time to go visit her family. She received a letter two weeks ago from her family about how Kurapika passed the test. With the letter, it was paired with a group photo of her parents, Kurapika and Pairo holding up a sign saying “Congrats Kurapika!”

The picture is radiating positivity. Aside from that, the letter explains how Kurapika is currently venturing out into the outside world, trying to find a doctor to help cure Pairo's eyes. When she read her mother’s handwriting, she couldn’t help but laugh when she discovered Kurapika is following in her footsteps. The older sister offered to help Kurapika find a doctor, but Kurapika clearly stated he felt responsible for what happened with Pairo and wanted to complete his journey on his own.

Seeing her brother didn't change one bit. He is the kind-hearted person Vividus will always view him like. Thankfully, he was planning to come back immediately to welcome his sister home when she returned from her travels.

It's been ages since the two have seen each other since she left the village. She loved the outside world, but she loves her family more.

During her time sending letters back and forth to her family, she detailed not going as planned in becoming an explorer and not being able to complete the journey over to the Dark Continent.

She also wrote about the good parts of her ventures. She told them about meeting Biscuit and how she trained hard to become a better fighter, how she travelled with her master and saw many places. Vividus has briefly mentioned Chrollo at some point and how she wanted to introduce him to the family.

Strangely enough, they told her to bring him back to the clan so they can meet him. What’s even weirder is they got permission directly from the chieftain himself. When she read that line, she was so happy that the village was finally becoming more open-minded.

Reading her previous letters she can tell her family misses her dearly. They always ask how she's doing and when she's back and how her adventures are, still super supportive of her choices. They never ever wrote anything negative about her adventure; they know this is all part of life.

However, the only negative thing she received was her parents worrying about her: they were worried about one of the clan members disappearing. They just told her to be careful when she’s coming back.

Regardless, all that matters to her family is that she is safe.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Vividus noticed her phone start to go off. She took out her flip phone and saw the caller ID read Chrollo.

"Hello there!" Vividus welcomed, placing the letters into her bag.

"Greetings," Chrollo said, hearing his chuckle on the other side of the phone. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yeah, just finishing up on my end. I'll meet you there." Vividus replied, zipping up her bag. "Do you have everything you need? It's going to be a long journey ahead of us."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Chrollo assured, "I'm excited to meet your family, it'll be a fun adventure."

"I'm excited too. I'm sure they'll love you."

Her heart warmed as she heard him laugh again, hearing him laugh like that always made her smile. "I hope so. See you when you get here."

Vividus felt a smile appear on her face, twirling her hair with her fingers in excitement. "Yes, I will see you soon."

Two weeks left until she can see her family again.

**[Timeskip]**   
****

**[5 Days Remaining]**

A week has passed since Chrollo and Vividus left the city, and it has been great. They could've arrived in the province much sooner, but they decided walking would be more fun. Vividus wanted to clarify her point of view, her perception of the world.

Vividus and Chrollo travelled to many different countries before stopping at the Lukso Province. At the current moment, they have decided to travel to the country of Jappon. As many places as they traveled, Vividus dragged Chrollo everywhere.

From the big city to the countryside: The Kurta woman's constant demands were distracting for Chrollo, considering he's already been here for his assassination mission: however, spending this time with Vividus was a different story.

Watching how excited the platinum-haired woman gets, taking photos of the two together and taking in the culture all around them. It was oddly...pleasant for him.

Vividus thought it would be enjoyable to stay at an onsen that night before making their next stop to Lukso province.

While Chrollo sent a message to Feitan updating him on his current location, Vividus was sitting outside on the balcony, taking in the beautiful view of Jappon. Taking note of how quiet she was, it was a bit unsettling for him, since she had been bickering all day. Glancing up from his phone, he looked towards Vividus and examined her figure.

Her hair was up in a messy bun, her body wrapped in an onsen rode. From where she is sitting outside on the balcony, it seems like she is hugging her knees close to her chest. It seems like she is immersed in her thoughts.

Chrollo sighed and placed his phone on the table before indulging the Kurta woman. Standing up from his seat, he walked over and sat next to Vividus. "Why are you so quiet?"

Vividus shrugged, keeping her gaze fixed on the view in front of her. "Just nervous."

Chrollo tilted his head sideways, "About?"

"You meeting my family," Vividus said bluntly, gripping her knees tightly. "Just scared they might not like you."

For some reason, her words tugged at his heartstrings. "I'm sure everything is going to be okay."

The raven-haired man saw Vividus peel her eyes away from the view, now looking at him. Furrowing her eyebrows together, she was still a bit worried.

"You think so?" she asked him.

Chrollo embraces her with a warm hug. As he planted a kiss on her head, he placed his chin on top of it. Playing with her platinum-strand hair with his fingers. Feeling the poor Kurta woman becoming flustered.

"I know so."

Feeling each other's embrace, he would hold her tightly in his arms. Not wanting this moment to pass. He was enjoying it so much. Looking at her, he smiled.

"You know I care about you, right?"

Feeling her body suddenly flinch, all she did was nod her head and snuggle deeper into him.

"I know."

Satisfied with her answer, the man decided not to ask any more questions about what she was thinking. He simply left it be.

Before Vividus hugged the man and enjoyed his soft touches, all she was thinking of was why he is so focused on his phone.

**[4 Days Remaining]**

It was early morning, and the two decided it was best for them to head to the harbour to catch the boat to the Lukso Province. The Kurta woman finished packing everything up while Chrollo was changing into his clothes. Seeing how he's already wearing his black pants, she couldn't help but notice his torso.

Chrollo was trying to figure out the best shirt to wear for today, giving Vividus a chance to admire his tone chest, making the poor woman blush.

Seeing how he finally picked out a black dress shirt, he turned around and began to place the fabric onto his body.

When Chrollo turned around, Vividus stared in astonishment at what was painted on his back—a giant black spider with a number zero centred in the middle—it wasn’t what she expected. She didn't say anything and packed up her things. The woman didn't want to be the one who judges others' tattoo preferences, as he likely had his reasons.

But then Vividus wondered: why does that tattoo make her feel uneasy?

**[Count: 3 Days Remaining]**

On the boat's front deck, Vividus watched the sea life beneath her swim in the water. The woman couldn't help but think back to Chrollo's tattoo. Something about it felt so wrong, yet she has seen that symbol somewhere before.

Her thoughts were wandering, trying to remember where she'd seen that tattoo. Thinking back, she remembered one of the lessons Biscuit had taught her during their time together.

* * *

_"Ok kid, when you're out on your own, you must remember to watch out for a particular group." Biscuit told her pupil, waving her stick around. "They are known as the Phantom Troupe."_

_The Kurta woman stared at her Master, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "The Phantom Troupe?" she repeated, taking in the name._

_"Yes, they are a gang of thieves with high bounty on their heads. Depending on the members, they are known to carry out such jobs as assassinations, stealing, you name it. From what we gathered, members would have a tattoo of a spider placed on their body."_

_Biscuit finished drawing a spider using the stick, giving her student an example of what it would look like._

_Vividus frowned, shocked that to learn such a group existed for this purpose._

_"They're willing to do anything?" She asked, staring at her master with a sad expression._

_Her Master nodded her head, completing her drawing of the spiders. "Anything Vivi-chan, as long as the price is right."_

* * *

After she finished her memory, she glanced behind her shoulder and saw Chrollo chatting with other passengers on the boat. Catching the raven-haired man being his usual self.

Her hazel-grey eyes met Chrollo’s dark ones, giving him his usual warm smile and waving. Vividus smiled and waved right back.

 _'It must be a mistake,'_ Vividus thought to herself. _'There's no way Chrollo is part of the Phantom Troupe.'_

**[2 Days Remaining]**

Chrollo and Vividus finally arrive at the Lukso Province. However, it will take two additional days to actually get to the village. While Vividus goes into town to buy food, Chrollo offers to find a place for them to sleep before heading to the village.

When she walked around town, the Kurta woman already had a bag of street food and fruits. She remembered that venturing out into the town was part of her test. Her task was to control her emotions and forbid her eyes from activating for twenty-four hours. The eyedrops she took would keep her eyes red if she lost control: regardless, she passed it with flying colours.

Walking around town a bit more, she noticed a particular tent on the side of the market. Vividus wasn't sure why she was drawn to it, but she decided to go inside it to see what it was about.

Upon entering, her eyes glisten a bit to see that the walls were covered in purple and blue silk drapes, a bunch of pillows all around, and a crystal ball located in the middle of the table. There, was sitting an old woman with snow -like hair tied up into a bun, frail skin, and blind eyes.

However, despite her look, she felt very...relaxed around her. She wasn't sure what this woman was about, but she could sense that she had a strong aura around her. She didn't look much of a fighter, but she looked like a wise old woman with all kinds of wisdom and knowledge.

"Welcome, child," She beamed, clapping her hands together. "Please sit! I've been expecting you."

"You were?" Vividus questioned, feeling suspicious of the old woman.

"Yes child, please sit down! We have so much to talk about! Please don't be shy, I promise you this woman bears no harm."

At first, she was tentative to accept the offer. However, Chrollo hasn't contacted her about the place yet, so she decided to honor her wishes. Sighing in defeat, she sat across from her and placed the bag of food down. She sat on her knees and placed her hand on top of the table, waiting for the woman's next instructions.

"I'm going to read your fortune today," the old woman declared, reached reaching her hand out and took Vividus's hands into her own.

“Is this really necessary?” Vividus stammered, confused by what was going on.

“Very,” She replied, chuckling sincerely.

As she turned her hand over, she saw the old woman's blind eyes stare into her own as her delicate fingers traced along the palm of her hand.

"Ah...your character traits are quite interesting. Very charitable and very caring nature. Yet practical and idealistic," She added, "You have a bright personality, so bright that people are drawn to you. You believe in hard work, but sometimes you may doubt yourself. Give yourself some more credit." She chuckled softly at the end.

Laughing nervously, Vividus couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. Surprised that the old woman is so spot on about the type of woman she is.

"I-I suppose you're right." She stuttered.

“I concur," She said, tracing her fingers around her palm. "You are not just any woman. Your bloodline is from a clan known for their beautiful eyes." She said thoughtfully,

"Ah...you have a lovely family. A little brother too. He looks exactly like you, but more thoughtful and observant. However, despite all of that: the little boy looks up to you. Adores you even. You are surrounded by a fantastic family. That is a thing of which you should be proud. In time, you will grow into a fine woman, a force to be reckoned with. You will form new bonds with others and make new memories."

"I don't understand...how do you know all of that?" Vividus questioned, shifting in her spot uncomfortably. "You can't read that by just palm reading."

She laughed wholeheartedly and understood the woman's suspicions. "Trust me, child, I have done this for many years. It is not just your hands I'm reading: I also read your aura."

Vividus widens a bit. "You're a nen user?"

"Indeed I am" she replied "But as you can see I'm no longer in my prime. I'm just a simple old woman who travels and reads people like you. A fortune teller if you will."

Her aura spiked suddenly as she continued to read Vividus. She felt the old woman's aura merge with her own as if they were trying to learn one another. The warm expression she once had turned into a sad one. She started to water as she continued to speak.

My dear...before you can become the woman you are destined to be, you will face a lot of betrayals, heartbreak, and loss. As I can see it: it will hurt you deeply. This event will change your life forever."

"What do you mean?" The kurta woman spoke softly, clearly not liking where this is going.

She says in a dejected tone: "The saddest thing about betrayal is it never comes from your enemies. It comes from friends or even loved ones. Despite all that...it is mostly loss which teaches us the worth of things."

Vividus looked at the woman, her body trembled beneath her gentle hands. Everything she heard from the old woman was making her afraid. This gut feeling she had was telling her something, every word she said didn't help.

As soon as she uttered those words, her first thought was of Chrollo.

"That can't be true! There is no way that he would ever do such a thing!" She said as tears trickled down her cheeks. "I really do care for him...I...just..."

She felt lost, confused, and conflicted as she stared up at the old woman, her eyes suddenly becoming scarlet as her emotions became strong.

"I need answers. What should I do? Is my family in danger? What should I do?"

The woman before her did not speak; instead, she watched as the old woman held out a hand and gently wiped away Vividus' tears.

"When the spider bites you, you will lose all sense of self, but with the Jester's smile: you will rise once more."

Vividus watched the old woman's hand retract from her touch as the woman reached into her pocket and put an object in her hand. As Vividus examined the object, she discovered it was a small vial of liquid inside.

"If you feel you need to end your life, this is the way out." She said, closing Vividus's hand gently around the vial. "However, use it wisely. With one minute too late, it will be a game-changer."

Vividus didn't expect this encounter, and she wasn't sure how to react or what to say. Her answer was vague, yet it makes sense at the same time.

“Why are you doing this?”

The woman didn't answer her question but offered Vividus a last warm smile that warmed her heart.

"I thank you for putting up with a frail woman such as myself. Remember: eventually, all things will work themselves out. Until then, laugh at the confusion, savour the moments, and remember that everything happens for a reason. Good luck, dear Vividus."

Vividus didn't want their moment to end. She needed to know more about the old woman, but everything she saw fell away in an instant as she reached out towards them.

She glanced around and saw that she was standing on the side of an alleyway, outside at the food market. The tent was no longer there as if there were nothing there at all. With her food bag now in hand, she felt something small and frail in her other hand.

Opening her hands, she realized that it was the same vial that the old woman had given her. As she remembered what the vial was for, a cold shiver went down her spine. As she shoved the glass into her pocket, her phone went off.

She took out her flip phone and saw that Chrollo sent her the address of the place they would be staying at for the night. Letting out a sigh, she replied "OMW" and started to make her way over.

But after the last few days with Chrollo, Vividus is uncertain if she is ready to return home yet. Not because she doesn't want to see her parent's home, but because she feels unsafe there. The encounter with the old woman and their talk didn't help either.

Vividus stopped walking, looking down at the ground and bit her soft pink lips in frustration. The Kurta woman knows something is going on: her gut is screaming at her to run in the opposite direction, away from the clan. It doesn't help how every time she thinks back at Chrollo's tattoo, it sends shivers up her spine. It makes her nauseous just thinking about it.

 _'There's only one thing I know for sure..'_ the kurta woman thought to herself. 'I need his phone. _There's something on there that Chrollo doesn't want me to see, and I need to figure out why.'_

**[1 Day Remaining]**

On the couch, Vividus is scribbling away on her notepad, writing a letter to Biscuit. She knows that she can just call her Master, but writing letters to them are more enjoyable and thoughtful. Also, it is a good way to pass the time.

"Hey Vivi, I'm heading out to town to pick up some snacks. Do you want anything?" Chrollo asked, putting on his shoes at the door.

"No, thanks," Vividus said, waving at the man. "I'm good."

Chrollo nodded his head, opening the door, and started to make his way. "Alright, I'll be back."

With that, he closed the door behind him, ensuring Vividus heard him closing the door before she sprang into action.

_Click_

The moment she heard the door lock, Chrollo's footsteps fade away, indicating that he is no longer in the vicinity.

When she placed her notepad down, she noticed that Chrollo had left his phone behind. She felt the back of her throat become dry and anxiety built up.

This stupid phone could be the answer to why Chrollo is acting strange recently. Whatever information is contained in that electronic box is the key to Chrollo's behaviour.

Walking towards Chrollo's flip-phone, she stared at it for a few moments, wondering if her gut feeling is just her being jealous of not getting the attention she wanted. The lump in the back of her throat started to form on how nervous she feels.

 _'No, I have to do this.'_ Vividus reassured herself, reaching out for the phone and picking it up. _'I need to know.'_

The phone is in her hands, there is no turning back. Taking a deep breath, she let it go. Accepting that there was no turning back. This is it.

Vividus opened his phone, pressing the messages button and browsing through his contacts. Most of them were just him talking to his family. However, one contact stood out to her:

**_Unknown ID_ **

Without wasting time, the young Kurta woman clicked on the message. She started to read through that conversation. Feeling her stomach churn with every word she read.

Vividus read the blacklist posting, and suddenly her entire world crumbled. Her eyes turned scarlet;

the eyes Chrollo loved and adored so much.

Throwing the phone onto the floor, she couldn't help but cry. Her tears started to run down her cheek. Everything she thought about Chrollo was a lie, a harsh realization he was using her this whole time to get to her family: to steal their eyes.

She started to wash away the wonderful memories she had with him with every tear she shed. Every thought of the raven-haired man touching her made her feel cold. Never in her life had she felt so betrayed.

**His answer alone was enough to kill her inside.**

****


	7. Anything × But × That

> **C H A P T E R S E V E N**

**~.:[Chrollo]:.~**

"Vivi I'm back," Chrollo said, entering the room with a paper bag filled with sweets Vividus mentioned the other day.

He knew something was wrong when he entered the room. Looking around, he saw no sign of Vividus with her stuff. The only light in the room was his phone.

He walked towards the phone and picked it up and noticed the message regarding the blacklist posting. He let out a small sigh, putting the pieces together in his mind on why his phone was on the ground and that Vividus was no longer here.

Exiting the message tab, he clicked on Feitan's caller ID and pressed the call button. The small ringing filled the quiet room. After a few rings, he heard Feitan greet him.

"Yes, boss?" Feitan asked in a monotone voice.

"Change of plans," Chrollo said, placing the sweets on top of the coffee table. "We're striking tonight."

"So soon? I thought we'd wait another week?"

Chrollo walked towards the window, staring out at the forest that hides behind the town, narrowing his eyes as he began to wonder where the young Kurta woman might be.

"Originally, yes. However, our village girl found out sooner than expected." Chrollo replied in a cool manner, running his hands through his hair. "Knowing her, she is probably running away from this place as far as possible. If we don't find her now, we'll never find the village."

Using his nen ability, he looked down at where his bookmark was last placed. His face showed a small frown.

"I'll get a head start on securing the mission. Tell Uvogin and Pakunoda to follow my nen trail. I may require their assistance in locating the Kurta woman."

**~.:[Vividus]:.~**

The Kurta woman doesn't know where she was.

As soon as she read the job posting, she packed her things and ran as fast as she could away from the town. There was no way in hell she would let Chrollo catch her. She didn't trust herself facing him because his book contains numerous nen abilities.

Feeling the cold sweat trickle down her cheek, she knew that Chrollo and possibly the others would be after her. Knowing the man is part of the Phantom Troupe means everyone he's ever introduced her to is also a part of the spider.

**"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. It comes from friends or even loved ones"**

The old woman's voice echoed in Vividus' mind. She wanted to cry, she wanted to throw a tantrum on how shamed she was for not catching onto the signs earlier, giving him the benefit of the doubt due to her human nature.

She loathes herself.

 _'I have to keep running,'_ the woman thought, her lungs burning. _'I need to get as far away from here as I can.'_

She needs to protect her Clan, notably her parents, Pairo, and her beloved baby brother.

The Kurta woman didn't want to be the reason everyone got slaughtered. She didn't want to be the one who couldn't keep her word. She felt like she was wasting her hard work and training because she'd be the reason everyone got slaughtered.

She left to show her clan that the world wasn't a scary place, that it was okay to go beyond the forest's walls and explore the world;

But now, the joke's on her. She is realizing that her people had it right all along: the world is cruel.

Running was all she could do right now as she used her feet to make as much distance as possible.

While she was running, she reached deep into her pocket and took out a small vial filled with crimson liquid. Narrowing her eyes at the vial the old woman gave her, she remembered it would end her life quickly.

If she took this: the Phantom Troupe would have no use for her. No use of her dead body. Considering how strong Chrollo and the others are, they are probably on their way to capture her. Torture her for information or force it out of her. Vividus thought to herself,

_'What use would they have for a dead Kurta?'_

The fireflies flit around Vividus as she took a deeper breath, taking in the beauty of the clear, yet cruel night that she had just experienced.

Placing her bag on the ground, she began to walk towards the lake. Staring down at her reflection as her crimson eyes glowed as bright as the fireflies.

She held the vial tightly in her hand, wanting to cry some more, but nothing came out. Her throat felt dry from all the crying before arriving here. Her body and mind felt defeated knowing that the troupe was exploiting her this whole time.

How Chrollo took advantage of her trust.

Vividus sighed deeply and stared at the liquid in the small bottle. Vividus knew that she must drink the poison to save her family. Looking up at the night sky once more, she closed her eyes as the moon's rays struck her skin one last time.

She lifted the bottle to her lips slowly, letting the cold glass kiss her lips. She had almost lifted the bottle up, ready to let the venom do its work: ending her life.

The knife flew towards her: knocking the vial away from her lips. Her red eyes widened in shock as she watched the vial of poison fly away from her and fall into the abyss of the lake.

"Sorry Vivi, you can't just kill yourself. We still need you." A familiar voice called out, stepping out of the dark forest.

Vividus turned her body around, now facing the same raven-haired man she once cared deeply for. The man she thought she would have a future with.

"Chrollo," she hissed, letting his name drip from her lips like venom.

Vividus raised her arms slowly as the aura around her body suddenly flared. The ground began to shake when the water from the lake began to move viciously around her, just as her emotions did.

"You're not going to make this easy, are you?" Chrollo questions, opening his book and placing his bookmark onto a new page. His nen also flared up as his aura turned red. "I guess I just need to take you by force."

Vividus screamed, swinging her arms forward, as the water began to charge him. "I'll kill you before you step foot in my village!"

The tsunami rushed towards Chrollo, threatening to drown his life away. Unfortunately for Vividus, this did not succeed. She watched as the fire spewed from Chrollo's hands, as the water and the fire met and formed steam.

The water should've been a more powerful hit, but after seeing the steam forming, she realized the fire was more powerful than she thought.

Vividus shouted, forming some water particles into ice needles as he screamed, "Let me guess, did you steal that ability? Or did you have to kill someone for it?!"

Swinging her arms, she watched the ice needles fall on the man. Seeing Chrollo either dodge her attacks or the fire nen ability to melt them away.

"No point in telling you now, is there?" Chrollo asked coolly while continuing to dodge Vividus's attack. "Come on Vivi, let's stop fighting and talk about this."

Stepping to the side he moved forward to see that Vividus is not in front of him. Feeling a sudden gust of wind from below he looked upward to see the young Kurta woman preparing to strike with her ice-formed wolverine claws.

"We have nothing to talk about, Chrollo! You used me to get to my family!"

Thrusting her ice blades towards the man, Chrollo managed to dodge her attack and jumped back. While the raven-haired man jumped away, Vividus followed in pursuit. Striking her claws at him repeatedly, she avoided letting him use his fire against her.

"Did you not feel any affection at all towards me during our time together?!" Vividus said, trying her hardest to suppress tears.

Chrollo said nothing at first, although he hated to admit it. Every word she said made his heart hurt, even though he refused to show it.

"No, I treasured every moment I spent with you."

"If you truly cared, then you wouldn't have taken the job! You could have walked away from it!" Vividus screamed. She grazed Chrollo's cheek as his blood splashed on her claws.

The raven-haired man winced in pain, swinging his arm in front of Vividus and firing at her. Her arms forming in an 'X' blocked his attacks. As his attacks ended, Chrollo saw her expression of pain.

“Then why…” She said painfully, “You say you treasured our time together. I just don’t understand why are you doing this?”

Chrollo could see her stunning scarlet eyes boring into his own. Vividus didn’t want to fight him; she didn’t want to hurt him. All she wanted to know was why he chose this path.

Why he decided to break this bond.

He glanced away momentarily, holding his chest as he spoke. Vividus could see that soft expression on his face, his warm smile that she fell hard for. The man she wanted to stay by his side.

“Never in my life have I ever met someone as bright as you. Your presence alone made everyone feel human again. Even myself. Every day I spent with you has been the best experience of my life, at some point...I never wanted to let you go. I wanted to keep you by my side.”

Suddenly, Chrollo's demeanour changed. He no longer had that lovable expression on his face.

In its place was a cold stare, a stare devoid of warmth. It was an expression that revealed his true self.

"The more time I spent with you, the weaker I became, and I could no longer let someone such as a simple village girl like you weaken me," Chrollo said, standing tall and proud; not showing any weakness towards Vividus, but only pride.

“I am Chrollo Lucifer, leader of the Phantom Troupe. We steal whatever we want in life regardless of whether it involves someone's life or not. We survived for so long because we were monsters. So if using you is the only way to get what we desire, so be it.”

Seeing Chrollo with his gaze, she felt the final piece of herself slowly disappear. The bond between the two of them was now severed, as Chrollo finally took his decision.

《 **Author's Note: Highly recommend playing this song in the background when reading the rest of the chapter from here !** **》**

"I...understand," Vividus said, as the massive tide of water that had been floating in the air started to fall around them as if it was raining.

"I suppose I can no longer hold back."

Chrollo wanted to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, the air around him suddenly felt grim. He looked at Vividus as her aura went from a blue colour, into a sinister red as it matched the colour of her scarlet eyes.

Her eyes had lost their kind and warm glow, sending a terrifying shiver down his spine.

The splattered blood from her wolverine claw now sat in her palm. Chrollo watched as the blood spread apart, painting her nails red with his blood. Her gaze felt fear-inspiring and ominous.

Eventually, he no longer felt like he could control his body. Looking down at his body, he used gyo to see what was happening. Only to see nen strings attached to his body. As if he were a puppet.

"Vessel Control," Vividus growled, stretching out her fingers and putting her arms down her side. She is slowly making her way towards the Phantom Troupe's leader.

Chrollo was not sure what snapped in Vividus, but he knew that she has been declared dangerous. He didn't know why, but he needed to getaway. No matter how hard he tried: his body wouldn't move.

"W-what have you done to me?" Chrollo stuttered, trying to move his body, but his body refused to listen to him.

"Simple," Vividus replied with a monotone expression on her face, "My Vessel Control controls your body."

Against Biscuit's wishes, Vividus has no choice but to use her forbidden move: _Vessel Control_. With this nen ability, it can only be activated with her Kurta eyes since they turn her into a specialist. The condition for her ability to work is that she needs the enemy's blood even if it's a small drop.

Once the requirement is fulfilled, the blood would soon spread and paint her fingernails red. Using their blood to connect her nen to the person's body and used them as if they were a puppet.

However, using this technique has a severe consequence: every second spent in this mode shortens her life by an hour.

Swinging her left hand down, Vividus watched Chrollo's body slammed into the ground. Watching blood spit out of his mouth. Raising her hand up into the air, she watched his body now floating above her. Glaring up towards the man with pure hatred.

"I trusted you Chrollo, loved you even," Vividus said, glaring down at the man before her. "But just like you said, it's all about survival."

As she swung her hand down, the body slammed back down into the ground, leaving a crater beneath it. If it wasn’t for the aura protecting him, he’d have been long dead by now.

Vividus took advantage of this opportunity by tormenting the man in front of her. Her torment ranged from throwing him into the ground to making his body swing and causing large impacts towards the now broken down trees. Chrollo was experiencing such intense pain that he could swear some of his body was broken;

However, the woman before him was unrepentant.

As she took a step back, she used her left hand to control his legs, making him stand on his knees. Using her right hand: she used it to command his hands to wrap around his neck, making him choke himself.

Chrollo stared at her with a horrifying expression on his face. He tried to take a word to the platinum-blonde, but she didn’t let him. She narrowed her eyes pointing at him as she braced herself for the final blow.

"Goodbye, Chrollo."

Before Vividus was able to make her final command. The poor Kurta woman saw a few objects flying towards her. Her eyes widening in shock, she was not able to move out of the way in time.

She felt the bullets hit her with such force that she flew backward from Chrollo, knocking her from her feet and causing her back to hit the ground. The bright fireflies suddenly flew into the air, startling them.

Her vessel control ability was released due to the pain. Hearing Chrollo coughed as he gathered air back into his lungs.

"Jeeze boss, if we didn't make it in time, you would've died." chuckled a deep voice.

Vividus raises her head weakly, staring up at the two figures emerging from the forest. Uvogin and Pakunoda.

Chrollo stared at Uvogin blankly and gave him a shrug. Then he looked up at Pakunoda and nodded his head.

"Thank you."

"Any time, boss." The blonde replied, making her way over to her fallen friend with a sad expression placed on her face. "I'm so sorry, Vivi-."

"Don't," growled Vividus, turning her head toward the woman she no longer regarded as her friend. "You dare not even mention my name."

Pakunoda was about to say something; instead, she bit her lip as she refrained from saying any more. Looking back at Chrollo, she narrowed her eyes towards him in displeasure.

"So, what are we going to do with her?"

The leader weakly opened his book, placing his bookmark in a new page as his nen ability changed. Seeing a green aura surround his body: he felt his body starting to heal. Standing up thanks to the assistance of Uvogin, the two-men walked over to the injured Kurta girl. Staring at her as she stared back in return.

"As much as I love this kid," Uvogin replied, a frown appearing on his face. "Are we going to kill her?"

"No," Chrollo said, his dark eyes connecting with her crimson ones. "Once Pakunoda locates her clan, we'll lock her memories away."

Everyone's jaw dropped, Pakunoda and Uvogin stared at their boss in disbelief. While Vividus felt her body shaking, the tears that she had held in during this entire fight started to break free.

"Please!" Vividus cried out, trying to stand up. But Pakunoda's bullets hit Vividus hard, leaving her immobilized. "You're already going to kill my whole family, what more do you want from me?!"

"You're too dangerous," Chrollo said.

"Then just kill me so I can least die with my family!" Vividus retorted back, "I rather die than have my memories of my family get whipped out. Please don't do this!"

"I don't want to kill you," Chrollo said coldly, not wanting to show any warmth towards the Kurta woman. "When we lock away your memories, anything related to your clan or us will make your life easier. Let alone, we won't have to worry about you hunting us down."

"I'd rather die than live a life without knowing who my family is." the platinum-woman pleaded, "Please... anything but my memories, anything but that."

Chrollo turned away from the platinum-haired beauty and started walking away. "Uvogin, hold her down. Pakunoda, you know what to do."

Without question, the troupe members nodded their heads and obeyed his orders. Uvogin kneeled down above Vividus and held her shoulders down. Feeling her try to struggle free despite his iron grip. While Pakunoda activated her nen, the blonde woman gently placed her hand on top of her head as she searched through her memories to find the location of where her clan is.

Vividus felt violated, she felt Pakunoda's energy scavenging through her mind. The poor, injured Kurta woman was trying to fight back: but it was futile. Her crimson eyes were spilling like a waterfall. The troupe could only hear her agonizing cries and her begging for them to stop.

Finally retrieving the location of the Kurta Clan, Pakunoda stood up and loaded her nen-gun. Pointing it at Vividus's temple as she readies her shot. At heart, the blonde woman did not want to harm her friend. She did not want to come to this. But unfortunately, once Chrollo makes the call, she cannot disobey him.

"Any last words?" Pakunoda asked softly, trying to hold back tears of her own as she looked over at her comrades.

Uvogin is usually a man of steel, but hearing his friend plead like this really made a dent in his heart. He looked away from the smaller figure: unsure of what to say.

As for Chrollo, there are many things he wanted to say. His cold dead heart indeed beat for Vividus on numerous occasions. However, if he didn't do this: then Vividus would've been his weakness. The others would see him as a weak leader. He wants to make sure his pride is kept clean and not tarnished by a village girl like Vividus.

Suddenly, as no one said a word, they all felt the air become dark and sinister. As they stared at the injured woman, they could only see her scarlet eyes staring at them in hatred.

It was something none of them had ever experienced before, so cold and so strong: even Chrollo's hand trembled in fear.

"Pray that I will never remember; if I do, I promise to exterminate each and every one of you; you have my word."

Pakunoda stared at Vividus, her eyes connecting with the pair of crimson eyes. The pair of crimson eyes no longer looked defeated but full of determination. She felt venom coming out of her lips with every single word spoken.

Somehow, it made Pakunoda happy to see her going out with some sort of fighting spirit, regardless of what's about to happen. As Pakunoda closed her eyes, she aimed her weapon at her beloved friend.

“Good,” Pakunoda said, finally summoning the courage to say something back, “We’ll be waiting for you.”

As the blonde woman delivered the final shot; the last thing Vividus saw was Pakunoda with her eyes tearing up. Watching her brown eyes stare at her, she could've sworn Pakunoda’s final words to her;

_"I'm sorry."_

In that instant, everything went black for Vividus. Feeling all her memories vanishing, all she kept in her mind was Kurapika's small body embracing her own, his beautiful blue eyes giving Vividus a warm smile.

> **_'Kura-chan...'_ **


	8. Foul × Mood

> **C H A P T E R E I G H T**

**~.:[Present]:.~**

Vividus was in a bad mood; the young woman just wanted to end this battle and get it over with. She knew that Hisoka just wanted to play, like a child playing with their food.

Even before she landed a hit on the Jester, Vividus knew she could quickly eliminate the Jester with her Vessel Control. However, even she knew that it would be risky since it wasn’t worth putting her life at risk against this horn dog.

However, maybe she can end this fight in a few seconds. His blood is on her hands—she can stop fighting so she can head back to her room and sleep. How badly does she want to leave?

"Come now, my little doe," Cooed the Jester, a frown appearing on his thin lips. "I wanted a fight, a fight to make my very core shiver, but right now you're boring me."

Vividus blinked, "Excuse me?"

Hisoka turned his frown upside down as he knew he hit his opponent's nerve, "Did I stutter?"

The blue aura around his opponent started to change, Hisoka was intrigued to see the sudden shift in her presence.

"I debated how to end this battle as quickly as possible so I can leave," he heard the woman hissed. "But now, I think I decided to rip that grin off your face."

With that, the aura surrounding the small figure suddenly changed. The Jester was stunned to see her attitude towards the man suddenly change. If it were a normal person, someone would feel scared and flee.

Hisoka, on the other hand, can feel his lower region grow hard again. Knowing that this is precisely the battle challenge he is looking for. An opportunity that he needs so he can just simply break the woman apart, her body and spirit.

"Oh my little doe, I can't handle your lovely presence!" the man yelled in delight. Hugging himself and feeling his body tingle all over the place.

While Hisoka was busy playing himself with thoughts of the Death Eater, he stopped in his tracks. Hisoka noticed that the water was no longer by her side. Her eyes were shining brightly beneath that deer skull she wore as the mask.

Lifting her hands to her side, He noticed her nails now covered in red. He was slightly confused as to where it came from, but regardless: Nothing mattered. Whatever his opponent was doing, He needed to end this battle now.

_Fast._

Hisoka leaps forward and slams his heel into the side of the woman. Watching the woman jump back, the impact of his heel created a small crater in the ring.

_The crowd went wild._

Hisoka didn't stop there; he kept tossing as many tricks as he could at his opponent, but it didn't work. Hisoka wondered if her eyes had something to do with her being a few times stronger than before.

Activating his nen, he grabbed his cards and acted upon his bungee gum. Thinking that this might be enough to end the battle, he put all his luck into it. Just like how it was with his previous victims. But every time he tries to hit her with his Bungee Gum, she always dodges it.

Watching her dodge his bungee, Hisoka thought to himself, _‘You can only dodge for so long.’_

He knows that the moment he attaches his bungee gum to the death eater, the battle is over. However, the woman has been able to dodge quite quickly and easily so far. However, he is beginning to observe that her actions are slowing down.

Every dodge and every moment of brief close contact: he always stared at those beautiful, scarlet eyes. He needed to know more about the history behind them.

As he was dwelling on that, the Death Eater's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. A smirk spread across her pink lips.

"I know what you're trying to do," The death eater said. As his golden hues widen in shock, watching her suddenly appear in front of him. "But unfortunately for you, I got you first."

Before any words could escape his lips, he suddenly felt his body flying upward. Feeling his jaw bruised from the powerful kick, Hisoka felt his blood spit out of his thin lips. His body started flying toward the end of the arena.

Attaching himself to the ground with his bungee gum, he made sure that his feet did not cross the out-of-bounds line. Which would have ended his battle against his little doe.

"Well, well, I underestimated you," The Jester said, his smile spreading. "Impeccable Zetsu, I commend you on that."

"Shut up," the woman hissed, Hisoka tingling with pleasure as she responded. "You've had your fun, but it's time to end this."

"But I don't want our time together to end." Hisoka whimpered as he deactivated his bungee gum from his feet.

Little did he know that was the worst possible choice he could have made.

"You shouldn't have done that," Vividus said, referring to his bungee gum. "That would've saved you."

"What are you talking about-" His body suddenly felt like something was attached and his golden eyes widened in disbelief.

Hisoka activated his gyo to his eyes and looked down to see what was happening. His body had ten nen strings attached to it, each connected to each finger of the Death Eater. As if he was now her puppet.

"It was a pleasure fighting you, Hisoka," the woman said. "If we fought longer, I would've lost against you."

The moment she lifted her arms high, the Jester followed: forcefully of course.

Cursing under his breath, Hisoka tried to recover from his mistake. He tried using his bungee gum to get back onto the arena. It was too late. By the time he forced his nen to his feet, he felt his body suddenly fly backwards. The last thing he sees is those scarlet eyes staring into his soul.

In one swing, Vividus thrust her arms forward and focused on controlling the man's body. She dragged Hisoka into the air and slammed his body into the wall so hard that a crater was formed behind him, causing the battle to end.

_After Hisoka's defeat, the audience erupted once again._

Hisoka gasped in pain as blood dribbled out of his mouth. The Jester felt nothing but discomfort and pain in his entire body. He wasn't expecting it to hurt this badly. Someone like her shouldn't be able to control his body like that.

It's been a long time since he was defeated. For some reason, seeing the girlish figure before him, his defeat satisfied him. His craving for her remained the same: it merely grew more energetic than before.

Hisoka decided to set a new goal for himself. Decided he wanted the platinum-blonde for himself.

Hisoka thought to himself as he watched the woman's figure exit the arena, _'Truly...magnificent.'_

After concluding his thoughts about the woman, Hisoka passed out.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After exiting the arena, Vividus immediately ran back to her room. She was not in the mood to deal with the press about her victory against the Jester. She just wanted to be left alone.

After entering her floor, she quickly opened the door and closed it. Taking off her battle gear, she neatly put them away in her closet. Reaching into her drawer, she made her way to her kitchen, throwing on a white shirt and shorts.

Opening the fridge door, she took out her favourite caramel chocolate bar she had been craving. She needed to nourish her taste buds with sweetness. Opening the chocolate bar, she took a bite and felt the flavour soothe her nerves.

She walked over to her window with her chocolate in her hands; she sat on her single-seat couch and stared out of the window at the city nightlife.

Her fingers ran through her platinum long hair, trying to review what had happened during her fight with Hisoka.

' _He got to me.'_ Vividus thought to herself, ' _With such simple words, he managed to crawl under my skin. Why did his words bug me so much?'_

Sighing, Vividus leaned back even further into her seat, allowing the comfort of her couch to swallow her. Every time she closed her eyes, she thought about how she managed to get to where she is now.

Biting her bottom lip in frustration, she hated these feelings she has for herself. No matter how hard she tries to take her mind off everything, her heart still feels lonely as ever.

Closing her eyes, Vividus thought back on that day;

The day she woke up with no memory.

_**[Authors note: I highly suggest to play this song when reading the flashback! Otherwise, carry on~**_  
- _ **NezuVIX]**_

* * *

_Opening my eyes slowly, I couldn't help but feel groggy. Looking around, it appears I'm in a huge white room. Looking down, I could see that a machine was beside me beeping and a sunflower vase was on the nightstand. I glanced up, and the only thing alive in this room seemed to be the TV in front of me, with whatever news report was on._

_Peering out of the window, I saw my reflection reflecting on how bandaged I was. I saw my body covered in bandages. Touching my face, I winced in pain to feel a bandage covering my right cheek. I felt confused, so lost, why was I in this state?_

_"You're awake!" cried a young voice._

_Turning my head, I watched a small figure approach me. Her beautiful blonde hair was tied into a pig-tail, her dress was puffy and pink. She was beautiful; she reminded me of a porcelain doll._

_"Who are you?" I asked, tilting my head to the side in confusion._

_By the looks of her expression, she was shocked. Pulling a chair beside her, she sat beside me._

_"You don't remember me?"_

_I stared down at my fingers nervously, shaking my head in response._

_"Sadly...I don't."_

_"Anything?" The young girl asked, placing her hand on top of mine._

_At first, I wanted to pull away, but I didn't. Her touch felt familiar. I wasn't sure why, but her touch jogged a memory about her._

_"Your...name is Biscuit, right?" I asked slowly._

_Hearing that name escape my lips, I watched the young figure beam brightly. Feeling my eyes widen a bit, I watched as tears of joy started to appear in her eyes. Why was she so happy?_

_"Yes, that's my name! Oh, thank goodness! Did you remember anything else?"_

_I stared at my reflection as I stared deep into my thoughts. Reaching my hand up, I started to twirl my platinum-blonde tresses with my fingers._

_As I tried to focus, I saw a memory fragment of a faceless blonde woman with short hair with curls at the edges of her hair. The only thing that stood out was her warm smile and her lips parting as she named me._

_So much warmth in the woman’s voice, so much love and compassion. I couldn’t understand why, but something about the blonde woman saying a name towards me sounds so...right._

_"Vividus," I said to myself, blinking a few times back to reality. I wasn't sure why, but the name felt right. "I think... my name is Vividus."_

_"Yes! Oh my goodness, yes, that is correct!" Biscuit beamed once again, "Anything else?"_

_I shook my head and looked at the small figure with a sad expression. "I'm so sorry, I don't remember anything else."_

_"What about your family?" Biscuit asked softly, holding my hand tightly. "Your clan? Your parents? Kurapika?"_

**_Kurapika_ **

_That name felt so familiar, and I wasn't sure why. Somehow, it felt like it tugged on my heartstrings. Something about the name seemed ordinary, yet it ached at the same time._

_But I don’t get it...why does the name make my heart hurt? Why do I want to cry because of that name?_

_I pushed the name away from my mind, not wanting to experience this discomfort._

_"Sorry...not one of them rings a bell."_

_Looking up at Biscuit's small figure, the sad expression on her face made me feel worse than I already do. I couldn't figure out why Biscuit was feeling this way. I started to wonder:_

'Did I say something wrong?'

_"I apologize if my words upset you," I said while pulling my hands away from Biscuit's grip. "I didn't mean to upset you."_

_That once sad expression was suddenly turned into annoyance. I heard the little figure scowl and cross her arms over her chest. "Silly girl, I'm far from upset. I'm just glad you're alive."_

_"Alive?" I asked, tilting my head to the side._

_"Yes, alive. I didn't think you were going to wake up."_

_I took in the new information, trying to wrap my mind around her statement. "Can... you tell me what happened?"_

_"That's the problem, kid. I don’t know what happened to you." The small figure replied, letting out a little sigh in frustration, "When I got a call from the hospital: I arrived as soon as I could. Not only they told me you were almost dead, but you’re now an amnesic.”_

_As a frown appeared across my lips, I asked, "That's what I don't understand, why was I injured in the first place? Are you able to tell me who I was before I lost my memories?"_

_"I will try, however, I feel it's best for you to naturally regain your memories on your own terms. I can only help you so much."_

_I wanted to ask more, but I decided it was best not to press further, "I suppose you're right...sorry for bothering you."_

_Biscuit jumped up from the bed and began walking towards the door. "You're never a burden, Vividus. I've always got your back."_

_“Anyway, I will notify the doctors that you are awake. I will return soon.”_

_The moment she walked out, I suddenly felt lost trying to recall who I used to be. I couldn't even remember much about my family: like there was a missing piece of the puzzle. The only thing that came to mind was the name;_

**_Kurapika_ **

_"Who are you?" I whispered to myself, repeating his name repeatedly. I wasn't sure why, but his name was so...important._

_Suddenly, the news appeared on my screen: flashing red as if it were necessary. Looking toward the screen, I watched the newscaster do his job._

_"Good evening, we are coming live from Lukso-studio. We brought you some terrible news for today's hour." The man on the screen announces, seeing him frown towards the Camera._

_"Last night, there was a terrible incident in our province. We have received reports that there was a horrible massacre of the Kurta Clan. We regretfully report that all 128 villagers were killed."_

_The newscaster paused, trying to take in the information and looked uncomfortable. He proceeds with the news. "Next to the scene of the carnage. There was a message left at the crime scene: presumably left by the bandits known as the Phantom Troupe and quote:_

_"We'll accept anything you leave, but don't ever take anything away from us."_

_Hearing him talk about the death of the Kurta Clan, my ears ring. My body shakes as the newscaster speaks over the news. Tears come to my eyes. I couldn’t understand why everything hurts so much;_

_Why does it feel like I lost something important to me?_

_I look up to see Biscuit again. I was looking at her with so many questions, but nothing escaped my lips._

_Biscuit stared at me with nothing but remorse. Staring back at the television where the newscaster was talking about the Kurta Clan Massacre, she looked back at me already connecting the dots._

_“Oh my sweet child,” She said softly, only staring at me with pity. “Y-Your eyes...your colour is showing.”_

_I stared at my reflection in the window, startled to see my eyes are no longer hazel-grey. But now replaced with a pair of scarlet eyes: tears escaping non-stop._

_"Biscuit, why am I crying?" I asked Biscuit, staring back at the small blonde with teary eyes. "I’m so confused…”_

_Seeing her rush towards me, Biscuit immediately hugged me, feeling the love she provided. What was she like all of a sudden? Why is Biscuit hugging me? Does she know why my eyes can't stop tearing up?_

_"Biscuit, please..." I begged, wrapping my arms around Biscuit and returning the hug. "Why does it hurt, why does this news make my heartache?"_

_I could tell Biscuit was trying hard to keep her composure and hold back her own tears. For my sake. With every word I uttered, more tears started to fall._

_"I'm sorry." Biscuit said to the woman in tears. "I'm so sorry for your loss."_

_After hearing Biscuit says those words, I began crying uncontrollably. I don't know why hearing them made me feel that way. I couldn't make sense of why hearing the word 'loss' made me feel that way, why it hurt more than I thought it would._

_"I don't understand Biscuit," I choked out, crying into the small figure's shoulder as I shook my head in frustration. "I just...don't understand."_

* * *

Vividus opened her eyes, allowing the first memory that she played in her head to end. Biscuit gave Vividus the best support she could and educated her once more on the nature of nen and her capabilities. Vividus didn't take long to adapt to her ability, so she started competing in Heaven's Arena.

She rose through the ranks of the tower, eventually becoming the youngest floor master to ever exist.

The woman let out a small sigh as she decided it was best to stop thinking about her first memory and pushed it aside. The last thing she wanted was to go to bed with sad thoughts. Vividus ate some chocolate bar as she tried to think of something else. However, her mind drifted back to the name that she seemed to have kept coming to mind.

"Kurapika..." Vividus muttered to herself. "Why am I having this feeling that you were so important to me?"


	9. Candy × Shop

> **C H A P T E R N I N E**

**_Knock Knock_ **

_'There's nothing there...there's nothing there,'_ she thought, pulling the covers over her head.

**_Knock knock Knock_ **

_‘If you ignore them, they’ll go away.’_

**...**

No longer hearing the door knock, she slowly removed the covers over her head. Sighing in relief, she heard that whoever was at the door had gone.

However, it was cut short when her hazel-grey eyes stared up at a familiar Jester smiling down at her. "Hello sweetheart~" exclaimed the Jester, "Are you just going to lie there? There's so much to do today!

Twitching in anger, Vividus clicked her tongue. Not believing Hisoka forced his way into her room. She thought to herself:

_'How did he get in here?'_

As if Hisoka read her mind. All he did was wave a card key with a number corresponding to her floor number. Groaning in befuddlement, Vividus put the two together.

_‘Did he threaten the poor receptionist again?’_

After one last glance, she would pull up the covers. Not wanting to deal with the clown. She was exhausted, the battle last night had taken a lot out of her—especially when she was using her Vessel Control against him.

"Get out of here." She muttered. "I'm not in the mood."

"But Vivi-chan, you're never in the mood." Hisoka cooed, lightly shaking Vividus. "It's the least you can do for hurting me last night."

"Shut up," the poor woman groaned, slapping away his hand as she finally got up from her bed. "Last I remembered, you were the one who challenged me - and you got what you wanted. Now leave."

"But Vivi-chan-"

"No."

While at the tower Vividus only fought to keep her status. She didn't care about money, power or fame. As long as she was a floor master, she assumed any opponent she faced in the future would have an easy victory. She only wanted to make enough money to earn her keep, in order to have a place to live. After losing her memories, she couldn't find the motivation to do anything but fight. She felt that's all she was good at.

Hisoka Morow was the first fighter in this arena to treat her as his equal. He didn't care about her small stature or status. He truly believed she would be a formidable fighter. The Jester made it clear to her that he only wanted to see what the Death Eater was all about, and how she managed to rise through the ranks so quickly.

The man wanted nothing more than to fight Vividus after watching her battles with other challengers. Of course, since he constantly harassed her, she did not bother accepting his request before last night.

As much as she hates to admit to herself, fighting with Hisoka was the first fight she had in a long time where she felt alive; like she was threatened. Since she came to this tower, her fights with challengers were always a bore. But somehow, Hisoka challenged her to the point where she used Vessel Control against him. It had been a long time since Vividus felt motivated to win a battle. Suddenly, fighting against Hisoka made her feel so:

_alive._

Her feelings regarding the Jester were present only when she was with him in the ring. Otherwise, when it was outside the arena:

He's nothing but an annoyance.

"If I buy you a package of Bungee gum, will you go away?" the woman offered, running her fingers through her messy hair in frustration.

"I love that brand, but it's not enough for me to leave," said the fuchsia-haired man chuckling, "All I want is to enjoy your company."

The poor Kurta woman twitched in irritation. Not only had he disrupted her sleep, but now he refused to leave her in peace. She wasn't sure if Hisoka genuinely likes being around her, or loves tormenting her: could be both.

"You are incredibly annoying," Vividus said as she rolled her eyes and crawled out of her bed. Drawling, she made her way over to her closet, choosing a red hoodie, grey leggings, and her undergarments.

"Now will you excuse me, I'm going to take a shower. I better see you out of my room by the time I'm done."

The Jester smiled at her, eyeing her every move. "Can I join?"

Standing by the doorway, she glared at the man as she placed her clothes on top of the sink. "No."

Before the man could complete his sentence, Vividus slammed the door and locked it. Turning on the shower, she started to strip off her sleepwear until she heard the knock.

"Come on, sweetheart! I know you want me."

Vividus groaned once more, using her nen, she froze the lock of the door handle so Hisoka wouldn't slither in. Knowing the man and his magic tricks, she is definitely not taking any chances today.

"Screw off, Hisoka!"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Vividus just wanted to enjoy her day in solitude and relax. Was that so hard to ask?

"Vivi-chan" cooed the Jester, "When will we battle one another again? I miss our fight already!"

She clicked her tongue, remembering why she wasn't allowed to have what she wanted today. Vividus wasn't sure why the clown was so attached to her, but it seemed like ever since she defeated him, he couldn't get enough of her.

"I'm not in the mood to fight," she replied, looking at the man with a cocky grin on her face. "Besides, I demolished you last night. Thanks to you, I won't have to fight anyone for a while."

Hisoka, _offended_ by Vividus's comment, placed a hand on his heart,

"How cruel Vivi-chan," despite losing: "I'm sure I won't lose to you next time," he said.

She hummed and rolled her eyes. "Right."

Vividus stopped in front of a candy store, to see if she could get anything she wanted today. Due to last night's winnings, she will have enough money for a long time. The more candy she can buy, the better it will taste.

She felt Hisoka standing behind her as she examined the window. He dropped his head to her level and whispered in a husky voice into her ear.

"Since you destroyed me last night, how about I return the favour in... _other ways_ , hm?"

Vividus turned around and pushed Hisoka away from her. Shocked at how close the clown had come. It's already bad enough that he didn't respect her personal bubble. But to perform an act like this in public?

Mentally slapping herself, she briefly forgot that this is Hisoka: this is how he's always been. Despite his natural being, he seems to be starting to get under her skin in other ways. Does this man have no shame?

"Seriously, Hisoka! What you're doing is extremely inappropriate!" She hissed, feeling her back pressed up against the glass.

"Sorry darling," said The man in a soothing tone, "I caved a bit, I was curious to see your flustered face: that's all."

"You are a ridiculous man Hisoka."

The Jester purred, "Only for you, my crimson flower."

 _'Crimson...Flower?'_ Vividus thought to herself, _'That's new.'_

Vividus was about to reply back to the man's remark. However, it was interrupted with a ringtone going off. As she watched Hisoka's movements, he dug deep into his pocket and pulled out his pink flip phone. Staring at it for a few seconds, VIvidus could have sworn she saw Hisoka frown.

But that quickly faded when he looked at Vividus with a fake grin on his face.

"Unfortunately, our time together must end today. I'll see you around Vivi-chan~."

With that, the man vanished from Vividus's sight.

"This man," Vividus murmured to herself. "What was that all about?"

Shoving her hands into her pockets, she finally took this moment to enter the candy shop and buy the items she wanted.

Not only was there lots of Candy, but also chocolate. Normally, this shop would be packed with all kinds of customers because of how popular it was: however, today was rather empty.

"Ah! My favourite floor-master!" The shop owner exclaimed, smiling. "Here for the usual?"

“Yes, sir,” Vividus replied, waving at the man. “I decided it was a _“treat yourself”_ kind of day.”

The old man gave a hearty laugh, nodding his head. "Well, dear, we have new merchandise today, so please take a look around. Let me know if you need anything."

Vividus nodded her head toward the old man, picking up a small basket and starting to browse the store.

She retrieved her basket and added a few chocolate bars with various flavours. Of course, she grabbed as many caramel chocolate bars as she could. This pleased the woman to see that the old man wasn’t kidding about new items in the store.

But when Vividus was about to turn into another aisle until she noticed a small boy.

He was about seven, small, with snow-white hair and a pair of blue eyes. He had pale skin as well and wore a turtleneck with a turquoise sweater over it. Vividus blushed at how adorable he was.

Realizing who the kid was, her eyes widened in shock.

_'Ah, he's the kid that I heard about that's been competing in the lower levels of the Arena!'Vividus thought to herself, 'Must be strong as he's competing. Why did he come here?'_

She wanted to approach the child and talk to him. However, that image was shattered when she saw him using his five-finger discount (aka stealing). The kid snuck a box of chocolate into his sweater pocket as he looked around to see if anyone noticed. With a sly smirk, he walked out of the store.

Undercover, Vividus followed the boy swiftly from behind. He had reached for the door and was about to make his escape. But suddenly, the platinum-blonde grabbed the back of the kid's hoodie and lifted up into the air like a puppy.

"Where do you think you're going?" Vividus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Based on his expression, he was definitely shocked. He turned his head and stared deep into Vividus's hazel-gray eyes. Blinking a few times, he finally processed what was going on in his mind.

"Hey, let me go!" The kid yelled, trying to escape Vividus's grip. But it was futile for the white-haired kid. "I've done nothing wrong!"

"Oh really?" Vividus enquired, furrowing her eyebrows together unimpressed. "So you're telling me that the chocolate you carried in your pockets is nothing?"

The kid's eyes widened in shock. He soon blushed in embarrassment and turned his head away as he dangled in her grip.

"I have no idea what you are talking about..."

Vividus rolled her eyes, gently putting the kid down and placing her hand in front of him as she waited for him to return the object.

"Stealing is wrong, you know that right?" Vividus asked the kid, in an attempt to reason, "Just give me the chocolates back and we're good to go."

“Make me, Bachan.”

Vividus twitched, _'Really? Did this kid just call me old?'_

"I'll give you a deal," the woman said, trying her best to be patient with the boy, "If you return the box, I'll buy you a whole bag of them. Consider it as a reward"

The kid's eyes widen in surprise at the offer, looking up and down at the woman. Unsure whether he should trust her or not, she heard him kiss his teeth.

"How do I know you're telling the truth and won't turn me in?"

All Vividus could do was shrug, "I guess you'll have to trust me and see what happens."

Boring her hazel-grey hues into the boy's blue ones. She stared at him while holding her hand out. She could tell he was considering the choice carefully. Looking at her hand while looking down at the robotic box he was going to steal.

"Here..." the kid murmured to himself. Finally giving in.

The platinum-haired woman smiled warmly towards the young boy. As she took the chocolate away, she walked towards the counter to check out her items, while placing both her basket and robotic box toward the store owner.

"Hey, do you mind giving me a bag filled with these guys?" Vividus asked, pointing at the box.

"Oh? A whole bag?" The old man asked, "What's the occasion?"

The woman shrugged, taking a quick glance at the white-haired boy. Giving him a warm smile, she gave him a playful wink who ended up blushing.

"Just a reward for someone, so what's the total?"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After exiting the candy shop, Vividus took the white-haired kid out for lunch. While the woman ate the pasta she ordered, the child hummed happily in his seat: eating a crepe with strawberry and chocolate hazelnut spread inside.

What made Vividus more entertained was the fact that the kid was literally hugging his bag of chocolate in his lap. It was definitely something.

"So tell me, what brought you to Heaven's arena?" Vividus asked, tilting her head to the side.

Watching the child eat a crepe, the kid looked up with a puzzled expression. "Oh, you heard about me?"

Vividus smiled and drank her vanilla-flavoured coke. "I'm a floor-master. I keep track of individuals who show potential."

The kid slammed his hands on the table, pointing at Vividus with a look of disbelief.

"You? A Floor-master? I don't believe it!"

The woman in front of him couldn't help but chuckle; she leaned her elbows on the table and kept her chin resting on her hand.

"You don't believe me?"

"Not at all!" The boy exclaimed. "You don't look like a fighter in the least, let alone strong. I bet I can beat you!"

Vividus smiled, "Oh? Is that a challenge?"

"It is!" The boy exclaimed, "Give me a chance! I bet you anything I can take you on!"

At that point, Vividus couldn't contain her laughter anymore. She bent over her seat, howling in laughter that hurt the kid's ears. She could hear him yelling at her to stop laughing, but she just laughed even more.

Finally taking a breather, she whipped the tears away from her eyes. Looking at the flustered child.

"If that's the case, I'll accept your challenge then Kiddo."

Standing up, she took out her wallet and placed the money on the table. Looking down at the white-haired boy who was still sitting there, he still had his cheeks puffing out and was clearly not amused at all.

"Come, let's spar together," Vividus said, preparing to walk away from the kid. "If you beat me, I'll give you a whole crate of the chocolate balls you seem to love."

"Deal!" The boy exclaimed, picking up his candy bag and jogging up to Vividus's side.

“By the way, my name is Killua! What’s your name?”

Given a warm smile, she turned around and simply waved at him, saying her name before returning to Heaven's Arena.

"It's Vividus."

**~.:[Hisoka]:.~**

Watching from afar, Hisoka would be sitting on a building, gazing at his favourite flower and the white-haired boy. Seeing them laughing and eating together, he was a little bit jealous.

He spoke softly over the phone, continuing to watch the two beneath him. "Your little brother seems to be enjoying my crimson flower's company."

"Get over it, he's harmless." said the man on the other end of the line.

Hisoka chirped in sarcasm, "But dear Illumi, you know I'm not really interested in sharing with brats."

"Jealous of a child? Wow Hisoka, this woman must really interest you if you can get jealous." The oldest Zoldyck teased over the phone. "It's pathetic even for you."

Hisoka rolled his eyes at the assassin's disrespectful words. Something inside him just wants to steal her away from the white-haired child, but if he did, Illumi would kill him for getting caught. As the situation stands: the assassin hired the Jester to keep an eye out on his kid brother, making sure he is staying on task when competing in the Arena.

"Just so you know, I won't be accepting your requests as often. This phone call ruined my time with her, you know~" the clown said, seething with annoyance.

"It's not like I'm not paying you," Illumi said in a monotone voice.

"Still."

Even though he was talking over the phone, the man clown could feel the assassin rolling his eyes at him. Even though he was getting paid to watch them now, he was still annoyed.

"Before I hang up, I just wanted to let you know the two are going to spar," Hisoka shared, feeling a grin emerge. "It seems the brat believes he can beat my lovely doe."

"Of course he does," Illumi sighed over the telephone, "but this is a good lesson for him to learn."

"Yes, yes," chirped the clown, as he watched his toy part ways with the Zoldyck child. "It'll be fun to watch!"


	10. Onee-chan

> **C H A P T E R T E N**

After the two fighters arrived at Heaven's Arena, they immediately began sparring. The boy was eager to dominate the platinum blonde but found it difficult. The fight wasn't as exciting as he believed it would be, it was just kicks and punches.

The young Zoldyck prodigy felt the battle was too easy. It reminded him of the type of training he endured with his father and oldest brother, Silva and Illumi. Killua used all the tricks he could to overcome his opponent.

From what he could tell, Vividus was comparable to Illumi's age but was a lot sweeter and less scary.

Even with the training, Killua had to go through, this was the first time he had trouble keeping up with someone since entering Heaven's Arena. The poor boy became angry because Vividus hasn't made a move yet.

“Attack me already!” The boy demanded as he jumped away from the woman. "I know you're going easy on me!"

He watched her tilt her head sideways, blinking in confusion. "Oh? So you want me to be tougher on you?"

"Yes, I came here to fight, not dance around!" scoffed the boy.

Vividus rolled her eyes, letting out a small sigh. Placing her hands at her side, she closed her eyes as if trying to focus.

"If you insist."

Initially, all seemed normal. However, once Vividus opened her eyes, Killua suddenly felt...scared.

Vividus' welcoming aura has become sinister and suffocating. Killua felt his eyes starting to blur from how intense her energy is, he looked down to see his legs buckle beneath him. Killua's hair stood on the back of his neck. The last time he felt like this was during their training with Illumi.

In Killua's eyes, it felt like an evil aura. Vividus: all she was doing was focusing her ren to act in a hostile manner toward the white-haired boy. Every step she took towards him, the boy would back away.

He felt like if he made one wrong move the battle would be over. He started to calculate what to do: fight or flight? The boy wasn't sure what to do; fear was just taking over and blinding him on what to do.

When he took a few more steps back, Killua changed his fingernails into sharp talons, ready to defend himself until the referee blew the whistle.

"Killua is out of bounds, Vividus wins this battle!"

He looked down and saw the referee was right: he was out of bounds.

Vividus' aura disappeared after the battle, and the platinum-haired woman frowned at Killua. Kneeling before him, she noticed that he was still in a trance as she poked at his forehead.

"Is everything alright?"

Killua blinked a few times, looking up at Vividus to see the concern in his eyes. A cold sweat trailed along his cheek as he absorbed what just happened.

"What...was that?" the boy asked slowly, looking at Vividus.

 _'Hm? I guess he couldn't see my nen.'_ Vividus thought to herself, staring back at the boy's blue hues. _'I guess he's not ready yet to discover what nen is, despite his impressive abilities.'_

Vividus let out a small sigh as she got up and ruffled the boy's hair. "Are you hungry? If so I'll make you some dinner back on my floor."

"Oi!" The boy pouted, which led him to playfully punch Vividus's stomach. "You didn't answer my question!"

**~.:[Hisoka]:.~**

Up in the observation deck, Hisoka was watching the sparring match between Killua and his favourite toy, Vividus. Hisoka couldn't stop shaking in his seat after experiencing her ren. One leg kept bouncing up and down, while he chewed on his fingernail, grinning the entire time.

 _'Ah~ Vivi-chan, that was such tasteful ren you got there.'_ He moaned to himself, licking his thin lips. ' _It's not fair...I wanted to experience that! Curse you, Illumi. You made me miss out on the action.'_

Despite the fight-ending so quickly, Hisoka began to become excited again. He had no idea she was capable of being so hostile as her own. There are only a handful of individuals in his life that made him nervous just by being near them. He was a bit upset now that he wasn't able to experience such hostility from the platinum blonde. He is curious to know more about her now.

That alone is saying something for the Jester.

The Jester stood up from his seat, leaving the observation deck. Letting out an annoyance sigh, he knew that this situation could not be helped. However, it still irked the Jester no less.

Taking his phone out, he quickly sent a text message to the oldest Zoldyck child, giving the results to the assassin.

 **Hisoka:**  
Your brother lost against Vivi-chan~♡.

 **Illumi:**  
Oh?   
How bad?

 **Hisoka:**  
Miserably, I think your brother will be stuck here for a while~.  
Also, next time; don't hire me to babysit your little brat of a brother again.

 **Illumi:  
** Oh?   
Are you still angry with me for what's the term...  
 _cockblocking_ _?_

 **Hisoka:**  
Very much so!  
So next time don't hire me again unless you want me to kill people.  
Or else I'll kill you~.  
⭐👁👄👁💧

 **Illumi:**  
...  
You're an idiot.

**~.:[Vividus]:.~**

After dinner, Killua and Vividus sat in front of the television watching an anime. While the boy was popping chocolate balls from the robot box into his mouth, the platinum-haired woman was nibbling on her chocolate bar.

"Wow, this is a pretty good show," Vividus said, watching two figures fight. "What is this called again?"

"It's called _Naruto_ ," Killua said, watching the Blonde kid throw a punch at the raven-haired boy. "It's about the main character trying to save his friend. But throughout the show, he just becomes more and more powerful. It's insane, really."

Vividus smiled, "You must really enjoy this show, huh?"

The boy nodded, his eyes glued to the screen. "Yeah! One of my brothers is addicted to this kind of thing. Whenever he irritates me, I'll just break one of his anime-girl figurines."

The woman gasped, throwing a pillow at the boy. "You're terrible!" she exclaimed.

Killua grabbed the pillow swiftly, looking away from the woman and sticking out his tongue.

"Oi! He had it coming, ok?"

Vividus just rolled her eyes, "Mhm...right."

Looking at the time, she saw that it was now midnight. She picked up the remote from the nightstand and turned off the tv on Killua.

"Well, time for bed."

"What?! The show wasn't even done yet," the boy scolded the woman, pouting at the fact that she turned off the tv.

"Listen, it's been a long day. Let's rest."

"But I'm not tired!" the boy complained.

Rolling her eyes, she stood from her seat and stretched her body. Looking down, she saw the boy was still lying on the floor. Letting out a small sigh, she looked out the window to see that it suddenly started to rain. Watching the water droplets hit the window, it looks like a pretty bad storm is coming.

“Well, I'm tired, you should probably leave soon,” she answered. “In addition, it's starting to rain. If you leave now you should be able to escape the storm.

Initially, Killua just sat in his spot, quiet. Vividus raised an eyebrow in confusion as she tilted her head to the side, wondering what was wrong with him.

"What is it, Killua?"

Feeling embarrassed, Killua looked to the side. Scratching the side of his head in embarrassment. “I...don’t have a place to stay.”

Hearing this statement, Vividus’s eyes widened in disbelief. Is this kid serious?

“What do you mean you don’t have a place to stay?” She asked worriedly, “I thought you have your own room here?”

Killua shook his head, frowning a bit in response. “I don’t. I haven’t reached the hundredth floor yet. In all honesty, I just started competing here not too long ago.”

“But Killua...why are you here alone?” She asked worriedly, “Where are your parents? Do you at least have a guardian?”

Killua shook his head in response again, looking at her with a sad smile. “My dad left me here. He told me not to come back home until I reach at least the 200th floor.”

“Did he at least give you money or accommodations to sleep somewhere?”

“Nope,” He replied honestly, “Nothing.”

She couldn’t believe her ears, for a child who is as bright and talented as himself being here all by himself. She wasn’t sure what baffled her even more; The fact that his father just left him here alone, or the fact that they didn’t think about his safety at all.

“I-It’s ok Vividus,” He said respectfully, “I’ll be ok. I’ve been alright on my own from the start anyway.”

Standing up from his spot, he looked at the woman before him with a small smile. Bowing respectfully towards her. “Thank you so much for the meal. Your kindness was much appreciated.”

For some reason, her feelings towards the boy felt so familiar. Despite not knowing the child for very long, she felt compelled to protect him. She wasn’t sure what his family situation was like. But all she knew is what Killua is going through is something no child deserves.

But no one should ever be left alone like this.

Ever.

“K-Killua wait,” Vividus called out to him, “Don’t go.”

The moment she called out his name, Killua stopped in his tracks. As he slowly turned around, he looked towards the platinum blonde with a shock expression on his face. Looking at her concern, he would place his bag of candy down and stood in front of her. Tilting his head to the side with innocence.

“What’s wrong, Onee-chan?”

She felt her chest tighten upon hearing that name. Her red eyes were suddenly activated as a flash of memory flashed before her as she heard a sudden strike of lightning echo through her mind. Remembering a certain memory, she did not realize she was in a daze until Killua suddenly started panicking out of worry.

"Vividus, are you ok!? Did I say something wrong?"

Bleary-eyed, Vividus looked down to see that Killua was looking at her, his blue eyes worried. She felt the hand reach out and wipe something liquid away from her eyes. Blinking a few more times, Vividus realized it was tears.

“I-I’m so sorry for calling you Onee-chan!” The boy exclaimed, shaking his head furiously from side to side. “That was very rude of me. I should never have crossed your boundaries. I didn’t mean any harm, I-”

Laughing nervously, She used her free hand to wipe the tears away and gave him a reassuring look. "Killua, I'm fine. I don't mind if you call me Onee-chan."

She viewed it at first as a bit odd. She knew that randomly inviting a child into her home, offering him dinner and watching anime with him was weird. If anything she should’ve been more careful because perhaps the boy has some sort of issues himself. But after getting to know the child before her, she felt like he needed a place to stay.

But after staring at the boy in confusion, her eyes softened. Another fact that struck her was that Killua was still a child. He probably needs emotional affection that he probably lacks. For someone so young and already alone in the Arena? It's unheard of. She wasn't sure what his backstory was on why he was here in the first place. Despite their sparring match from earlier, all it matters to her that the boy isn’t hurt.

She remembered something important because Killua was there. That alone she felt a bit of gratitude towards the boy.

No matter what his past entails, by the end of the day, Killua is alone. Trying his best to survive.

Just like her.

Standing up from her spot, she picked up Killua’s bag of candy and placed it on her table. Once she did that, she walked over towards her closet and started ravaging through her clothes. Trying to find something that would fit the boy.

“W-What are you doing? Killua asked, following her from behind.

“Finding you a change of clothes,” She said, “You’re sleeping here tonight.”

“E-Eh?!” he exclaimed, “No Vividus I can’t, I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Oh hush,” She said, throwing him a pair of shorts and a shirt, “This isn’t up for negotiation. I refuse to have you sleep outside knowing there's a storm tonight.”

Watching him catch her clothes with ease, he blinked a few times. Staring at the pair of clothing and back up with Vividus. An innocent, confused look on his features.

“B-But why?” He asked, “You hardly even know me. Why are you being so kind to me? I mean don’t get me wrong I appreciate the food, the sparring session and the anime session, but why-”

“Killua,” Vividus said softly, causing the boy to suddenly stop talking. Realizing he was rambling on towards her, he couldn’t help but to blush in embarrassment and looked away.

“Sorry.”

Laughing softly, she would walk over to her bed and start preparing the bed. “There’s a bunch of towels underneath the sink. Now go take a shower! I expect you back here once you're done.”

Without a second thought, Killua nodded his head and decided not to question the woman any longer. As quickly as he could, he followed Vividus’s instructions and did what he was told.

While waiting, Vividus took the time and changed out of her clothes into her pajamas. As she prepared the bed, changing the covers for both the comforter and the pillows. She wanted to make this as comfortable for the boy as possible.

After she finally finished preparing the bed, Killua finally returned. He looked refreshed and much better. He neatly put away his clothes on top of her dresser and walked towards her bed.

“Just in time!” she chimed, “I just finished making the bed.”

Looking at Killua, she would pat his side indicating that's his spot. Nodding his head, he would start walking towards his side cautiously. The woman could see that the boy was tense from the look of things. As she glanced over at the boy, she found it adorable to see him flustered and shy.

“Are you okay?” She asked, throwing the comforter over their bodies.

“Yeah..” He stuttered, “I'm just...not used to this.”

“Oh?” She asked, “Have you never slept next to someone like this before?”

“...No.”

“Not even at a sleepover?” she asked, wide-eyed.

“What's a sleepover?” Killua asked, turning around to face the woman.

She chuckled a little and nodded her head. As she held her chin in thought, she tried to formulate a proper response for the boy. “It’s an occasion where you spend the night somewhere else other than your home. It’s basically what we’re doing right now.”

“Huh...” Killua remarked, absorbing the information, “So that’s what it is.”

She would nod and soon lay her body back against the mattress. As her body began to relax, she closed her eyes.

“By the way Killua,” Vividus said, catching the boy’s attention. “You can stay here as long as you want. As long as you clean up after yourself and keep the place tidy, I don't mind.”

Killua hesitated to respond to the woman’s offer for a moment. "Thank you," he said gently, "I'll think about it. I don't want to burden you."

“You’re not burdening me, Kiddo,” She said. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Looking at him, she could tell he was hesitant about accepting her offer. His shoulders were tense, and his facial expression showed he was worried about what could befall him if he did accept. She doesn’t blame him at all, the world they live in is a scary place after all.

As she turned her body over, she would look at him with a warm expression, showing him she meant what she said. “Honestly, it would be nice to have you around.” She began, interrupting his train of thought, “Besides, eating together is better than eating alone.”

"You're sure?" the kid asked innocently and furrowed his brows together. "I just...it’s hard to comprehend such kindness from someone, let alone offering a complete stranger to stay with them."

Laughing softly, Vividus patted his head. “That’s just how I am.”

“But...why?” He asked once again, feeling something rise up in his eyes as he looked away. “Why me? I'm just a brat that challenged you and lost miserably. Why are you so nice to me?”

“You know, you ask a lot of questions for someone as young as you,” She joked, now staring at the child. “I’m doing all of this because I want to. If I’m being honest, you’re very mature for your age, Killua. However, don’t let that mindset get to your head. I don’t know what you’ve gone through, or why you’re alone in the first place and frankly it's none of my business.”

Gently reaching out towards the boy, she would place her finger underneath his chin and lift it up. Killua’s bright blue eyes staring deep into Vividus’s hazel-grey ones.

“But by the end of the day, you’re still a child. It’s ok to accept help occasionally, hell, cry all you want for all I care. No one’s perfect.”

Killua stayed silent, taking in all the words Vividus had said to him. As she watched him, all he did was nod his head in understanding as he isn’t used to such words. Looking away briefly, he spoke to her in a soft tone and averted his gaze.

“I-Is it alright if I hug you?” He asked, as though he was afraid of rejection.

Nodding her head, Vividus would no longer lie in bed. Instead, she would prop herself up against the headboard and open her arms, indicating that she was ok having him hug her.

“As long as you are comfortable with it.” She replied, giving him a reassuring look.

Slowly but surely, Killua would slowly move closer to Vividus, worried that she was going to hurt him. As he gently wrapped her arms around her waist, he snuggled himself closer to her: placing himself in a more comfortable position.

Bit by bit, she watched the child slowly letting out silent tears: eventually letting himself cry. While the child cried into her arms, she would gently pat his back, giving nothing but love and comfort towards the child until he eventually fell asleep. Gently running her fingers through his white locks. Soon, Vividus would gently kiss the top of his head and place him in a comfortable sleeping position. Deciding it was best for her to retire for the night.

"Sweet Dreams, Kiddo."

Remembering the memory, the Kurta woman felt a small smile appear on her lips. Letting the fragments reply in her mind.

For the first time in a long time, Vividus no longer felt alone.

* * *

_It was late, the day had been extremely tiring. For some reason, the kids were acting like little rascals. Among all the kids, a particular blonde boy stood out for being the most ruthless._

_I didn't know why, but it was hard to sleep. Hearing the drops of rain pounded against the roof isn't helping at all. Let alone thunder reverberating through the forest._

_"Onee-chan, can I come in?" a soft voice asks, as I hear my bedroom door slowly open._

_Lifting my head from my pillow, I stared at the blonde kid in disbelief. His lips were clearly visible, but the rest of his face was blurry._

_"Why should I? You're acting terrible today."_

_"That's because you didn't go easy on us!" Exclaimed the faceless boy, pouting from my bedroom doorway. "You know how humiliating it was for us to go up against you?!"_

_I rolled my eyes at the boy's comment. "Come on, little brother, you know I go easy on you."_

_I watched the boy puff out his cheeks. "And why not?"_

_"Because that's not the way it's done in a real-life situation." I explained, "If I go easy on you munchkins, you'll never learn."_

_I watched the small child about to reply, but I could tell I was right. He didn't want to argue because it's late and our parents are sleeping. Second, he doesn't want to upset me, because he'll feel terrible if he does._

_Raising an eyebrow, I noticed he still stood there. Not wanting to leave my room. As I let out a small sigh, I would sit up and stare at the blonde-child before me._

_He was shaking, trembling even. As I observed his actions, it looks like he couldn’t sleep either. I guess the rain is keeping both of us awake._

_“Is the storm keeping you up?” I asked softly._

_He nodded his head, fiddling with the hem of his nightshirt. “Y-Yeah…”_

_I frowned, “Still scared of thunder?”_

_Before the boy could respond, I saw him leap in fear. Listening to another loud crack of thunder break through the rain. I knew he was trying his best to stay strong, but I could tell that the last thing he wanted was to be alone._

_I sighed in defeat as I moved over and patted the empty spot beside me._

_"Come, you can sleep beside me."_

_As soon as I said these words, I saw his face light up. He was delighted when I offered him a spot._

_"R-Really?!"_

_"Of course," I said, smiling at his response. "Who knows, maybe we can help each other sleep if we are together."_

_I watched him close the door behind him. Making his way over to my bed and jumping in. His small arms had their grip around my waist. I held him up, kissing his face in delight, making him groan with slight annoyance._

_"O-Onee-chan, you're so embarrassing!"_

_I rolled my eyes, placing a final kiss on his forehead. "Oh, hush, you love me."_

_I watched him stick his tongue towards me. Soon he rested his head against my chest. I ran my fingers through his soft blonde hair, comforting the boy under me._

_As we lay together in silence, all I heard was the raindrops and a few cracks of thunder. The sound no longer bothered me, it was now just a sweet melody of nature taking its course._

_Looking down, I noticed the boy no longer trembled with fear; but rather, calmly breathed, as if he felt safe in my arms._

_"I love you, Onee-chan."_

_Nodding my head, I closed my eyes, resting my head on my pillow and slowly stroked his hair as lovingly as I could._

_"I love you too…_

> **_Kura-chan."_ **


	11. Treasure × Promise

> **C H A P T E R E L E V E N**

Slowly rising from her bed, Vividus scanned the room and saw that Killua had disappeared. She sat up on her bed to investigate, and she noticed that there was a note on her nightstand. Picking it up, she read it;

_"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Onee-chan!  
_ _I have a fight scheduled this morning and had to leave early. I am sorry I didn't wake you.  
_ _I promise I’ll be back, here's my number if you need me._

_-K"_

She wasn't sure why, but Vividus couldn't help but smile. Throughout her time here at Heavens Arena, spending time with that boy was refreshing. She was able to retain a good memory due to the boy's time with her.

After Killua called her Onee-chan, her memory of the cute, faceless, little blonde boy was prompted. The memory of the cute, faceless little blonde boy that was apparently her little brother.

 _'Kura-chan...I wonder if that was Kurapika's nickname?'_ She asked herself. Her mind pondered on that name.

Letting out a small sigh, she decided to address this subject later when she was more awake. Hopping out of bed and making her way to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. While she was about to make breakfast, her phone rang. Vividus raised an eyebrow, wondering who was calling.

"Hello?" Vividus asked, curious who was on the other line.

"Good morning, sweetheart~."

Vividus groaned, knowing that the peaceful morning had come to an end. "What do you need, Hisoka?"

"Would you believe me if I said you?" the Jester asked boldly, causing Vividus to blush.

"Can you not? It's too early for this." She responded. Cooking her eggs in the pan. "Seriously though, what do you want?"

"I'm hungry," Hisoka replied. "Would you like to eat somewhere?"

Vividus rolled her eyes, "No, I'm already cooking food-"

"Oh, perfect! I'll be over then, thank you so much for the offer~♡" With that, Hisoka hung up.

She slowly yanked the phone away from her ear after a few moments of silence. A vein started to bulge on the side of her head. Already feeling irritated towards the Jester.

"This son of a-"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

There he is, the Jester sitting in her room once again. But this time: he's sitting on a barstool with the counter in front of him. Eating the breakfast that Vividus prepared for him.

Preferably, she wanted to make it for Killua.

For once, the man before her wasn’t dressed up in his jester outfit this time. He wore a pair of loose white pants, a tight yellow tank top with a black cropped sweater shirt. Having a symbol of a spade and diamond placed at the front of his sweater. Additionally, he also had his hair down which was new. She was used to his hair defying gravity. 

Nonetheless, it was attractive. She didn't know he had it in him to dress so...normally. Although he was far from it.

"Delicious." he hummed, "I didn't know the lovely Death Eater could cook!"

"Oh hush Hisoka," Vividus muttered, placing the dirty plates in the sink. "If I didn't make you any, you would keep pestering me."

"True fact indeed," Hisoka said, confirming her statement.

Picking up her kettle, she poured two cups of coffee for her and Hisoka. Vividus stepped over and placed the mug in front of the Jester. Keeping her distance, Vividus leaned against the kitchen counter behind her. Taking a sip of her drink, it calmed her senses.

"So what do you want?" she said, staring at the Jester. “Cause clearly, tormenting me isn't good enough for you,"

Hisoka rolled his eyes, snickering and took a sip of his coffee. After taking a sip, he let out a satisfied sigh.

"There was something I was wondering about you."

Vividus didn't like where this was going. "Regarding?"

She watched the clown's movements and put his cup back on the counter. Tilting his head to one side, he closed one eye and kept the other open. Forming circles with his fingers and threatening me.

"Your eyes, my crimson flower."

The young woman felt frozen in place. She looked away from Hisoka and took another sip of her coffee as her shoulder tensed up.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

Heroku inquired, "Why? You don't see someone who has the Scarlet Eyes every day, especially when they are from the Kurta clan."

Her hazel-grey eyes widen in shock. Placing her coffee down, she walked towards the table counter and slammed her hands down. Feeling the plates and cups rattle from her strength.

"You know about the Kurta Clan?" Vividus asked, having a desperate look on her face.

Hisoka grinned, putting his elbow on the table while placing his chin on top of his hand. "Oh? How do you not know about your own people, Vivi-chan?"

She was taken back by Hisoka's comment. Looking up at him, she wanted to respond, but could not find the right words.

Vividus felt as if she was now in a vulnerable spot. How can she remember her "people" if she has no memory of them? Ever since she woke up in the hospital with Biscuit, nothing related to her family came to mind.

The majority of her life is a blur, not much seems to be hitting her beside a few flashbacks here and there, which only happen if certain things trigger her. The biggest revelation for Vividus thus far was last night's flashback. Even now, she doesn't understand why it hit her as hard as it did.

"I wish I knew," Vividus whispered, frustrated as she raked through her locks with her fingers.

"Oh? Please go on." The man cooed, oddly enough: he wanted to hear the Death Eater's story.

She was taken aback by how interested he was in this topic, despite being annoyed by his presence. The Jester is known to make her feel uncomfortable at times, however, this moment was different. She wasn't sure why. But Vividus felt like she should tell him. Perhaps if he knows potential information about their people, maybe informing Hisoka could benefit her in some way?

"I don't know what happened, but I woke up in the hospital last year, according to the doctors. I have amnesia." She explained.

She leaned against the kitchen counter and put out the coffee cup again. Staring at it, she sighed.

"My Master told me everything she knew - everything I needed to know - but not anything about my family. She wanted me to discover it for myself." She gently swirled the cup's contents. "It's like my memories are locked up."

Hisoka's eyes sparkled, eager to hear more. "Locked?" Hisoka asked.

"Yes, locked. I don't know why... but there is no way this happened by accident. Especially with the world we live in." She paused for a moment, taking a sip of her coffee.

She saw a black spider on the counter and instantly gripped her mug. For some reason seeing the spider made her blood boil, which caused her body to become tense. Taking control of the nearest source of water nearby, she turned it into a small knife as her eyes turned red.

Vividus threw a knife at the spider using her free arm, killing it upon impact while knocking over Hisoka’s cup of coffee over the counter. As Hisoka witnessed her sudden actions, the Jester was shocked by her sudden outburst. His eyes moved up to her as her aura suddenly looked wild and angry.

He felt his lips expand a bit more, finally putting the pieces together.

"Who were you talking about, Vivi-chan?" Hisoka asked, lips purring in an amused grin.

Blinking a few times, Vividus's eyes returned to their normal state, gazing at the dead spider then back at Hisoka. She felt her cheeks grow hot, embarrassed that she had lost her composure for that brief moment.

"I'm sorry Hisoka! I'm so sorry!" Vividus exclaimed, "I don't know what came over me!"

The poor Kurta woman became irritated, saying nonsense as she apologized to Hisoka over and over again. As she spun back and forth, she put her mug down and started looking for something to clean up her mess.

As for the Jester, a smile tickled the edge of his lips. Examining the dead spider, he let out a whistle as he was impressed by her throw. Seeing her in this kind of state was intriguing for him. All he knew about her was how tough she was, Heavens Arena's youngest fighter: a force to be reckoned with. However, seeing this new side of Crimson Flower was something else.

Hisoka wanted to know more.

The Jester took his seat without Vividus' notice and made his way over to the platinum-haired woman. He lifted his large hands and placed them on both of her sides. Caging her into his arms.

Blinking, the small figure looked both sides to see a pair of arms by her side. As she slowly turned her body around with a paper towel in her hand: her eyes matched Hisoka's golden hues while biting his lower lip. When Vividus stared at him in shock, she could've sworn she saw his eyes are staring at her as if he wanted to devour her.

She felt a lump form at the back of her throat. "H-Hisoka?"

Gently pressing her body against his, she felt a small yelp escape her lips. Her face instantly turned red. The only thing keeping his body completely from touching hers was the paper towel that was in her hands.

"It's a shame that you're wasting your potential here at Heavens Arena." Hisoka husked, leaning down as he breathed into her ear."With your abilities, you can do anything, yet you just fight your life away doing nothing with your talent. I feel like you aren't even at your full strength because you don't remember who you truly are."

Vividus didn't say anything, her body was just frozen in place as she continued to listen to the Jester talk. Her mind wanted to push him off and tell him to get out of her room, but her body stayed put.

Vividus felt his lips trailing along her neck, starting from the bottom to the tip of her earlobe. He breathed into her ears softly, sending shivers down her spine.

"Power? Glory? Money? That is what they want, that's why fighters compete in this Tower." He paused, and then slowly moved his finger over her chin. "It takes but a split second for treasure to turn to trash, my little doe."

She frowned, trying to read the Jester's tone of voice. Normally, she would have an idea of what the Jester was thinking: but right now, she doesn't.

"Then what would you advise I do then?"

Hisoka used the tip of his finger and dragged it lightly down from her cheek, down to her collarbone, then all the way down to her shoulder. Every touch that Hisoka attempted to inflict upon Vividus made her tense and uncomfortable.

He took this opportunity and pressed his forehead; his lips extremely close to her own.

Vividus felt her mind felt like it was going blank, her heart beating furiously against her chest. Vividus wasn't sure what had gotten into Hisoka. It was the first time he ever behaved like this. Sure, there were moments when he invaded her personal space, but something was different.

Every word that slipped out of his thin lips, she can feel his ren seeping out of him. He was making it abundantly clear that his aura alone was filled with hunger and lust. While his ghostly touches lingered on her skin, she was even tenser than before.

"It's really quite simple" mumbled the Jester, Vividus feeling his breath against her face. At this point, he was so close to her lips she feels like he may kiss her any moment.

"Go back to the beginning."

Her eyes widened in shock at Hisoka's words. Watching him slowly tear away from their connection and free her. Putting his hands in his pockets, he glanced back at the woman. When he turned back, all he could see was Vividus, even more, flustered than before. Her hazel-grey eyes were staring at him with so many questions.

With a large grin still on his lips, he laughed and waved towards the platinum-haired beauty. "I'll leave you to it, my crimson flower."

She wanted to ask so many more questions to the Jester, but as she reached out to the man: no words came out. Watching helplessly, all she could do was watch Hisoka stride out of her room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Ever since that encounter, Hisoka suddenly stopped coming by. Vividus hasn't seen the man for the last few months. No phone call, no Hisoka walking into her room to invade her personal space: nothing.

Vividus wanted to call Hisoka many times and inquire about where he was or how he was doing. However, she was too proud and decided to leave him be. If he wants to talk, then he can come to her.

Though, as much as she hates to admit it; she misses his company.

Vividus made an effort not to think about the Jester during this time. Instead, she chose to train and spar with Killua, hoping to improve his chances in the Arena. Given he has so much potential: she's doing her best to help him reach this goal.

From spending time with the boy, he disclosed a lot of information to her about why he was here.

He told the story of being part of the Zoldyck Family, of how they are the family of highly skilled assassins, and how he was sent here for training. Which makes a lot more sense now on why he was sent here to Heavens Arena. Killua isn’t allowed to come home until he reaches the two hundredth floor. Every time he talks about his family, it always makes Vividus's heart hurt, knowing how brutally he was tortured during his training.

She always makes him comfort food when he talks about it to distract him from it. Vividus never really put in her two cents into his situation since what’s been done is done. It’s all she can do to comfort him and love him as a big sister would.

For Killua, he was surprised that he even told Vividus about his family situation. The more time he spent with her, the more he's grown attached to the woman. He was surprised by the fact that she never uttered any words of pity. Usually, that's what maids and butlers would do whenever they heard wind of it. He was annoyed by it.

But for Vividus? It was never like that. All she did was nod her head in understanding and comfort Killua to the best of her abilities. He even told Vividus about how he’s part of the Zoldyck family and how he even killed people for a living.

Not once did it scare her away.

Instead, it drew them closer.

Killua had never witnessed such affection from his blood relatives before. It makes him feel like a kid every time he's with her.

At the moment, Vividus decided it would be best to take a break for the day and relax. As they sat on the couch watching anime, Killua was cuddling up to Vividus and giving him comforting head pats.

Back home, Killua recalled his mother always suffocating him and being possessive. He never received the proper love he wanted. The old hag was so rough with him.

With Vividus, she was never rough. Far from it, she was always very warm towards him: feeding him, making him feel welcome. If this is the type of lifestyle he's been missing out on, he wouldn't mind staying here with Vividus.

As he made that thought, a small frown crept onto the child's lips. _‘I can't. I don't want to put her at risk.’_

Vividus raised an eyebrow when she caught Killua's sad expression. Poking the side of his cheek, she watched the boy blink in confusion and soon look up at Vividus.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah..." Killua muttered. "Just thinking."

She tilted her head to the side, "About?"

The boy let a small sigh escape his lips. He pulled himself away from Vividus and placed his hands in his lap. Putting his hands together and twiddling his thumbs.

"I’m just thinking about our time together. Once I reach the two-hundredth floor, I have to go back home."

Vividus nodded, _‘Oh, that's right... once he's done, he'll need to go home.’_ She shifted her body a bit and placed her knees up and hugged her close to her chest.

"You're right, aren't you looking forward to going home?"

Killua puffs out his cheeks, "I never look forward to going home. Everyone is so annoying."

"But they're your family."

Killua turned and glared at Vividus slightly. "It's horrifying, Onee-chan! I get it, they are my family, my blood. But the training we have to endure is something no one should ever have to endure!"

When he bit his lower lip so hard, it almost seemed like he was going to cut his own lips. "It's just...scary...I don't want to go home."

_Fear._

Vividus noticed he was trembling with fear, not knowing what going back to that place will be like. She wondered for a minute what it would be like living with him and treating him as her own. In all honesty, she wanted him to stay with her

But Vividus knew deep down that she could not do that to the poor boy. What she wanted was selfish on her behalf. As bad as the training sounds: they are still his family.

Placing her legs down on the floor. She reached out and pulled the Zoldyck boy into a warm embrace. She felt his body tense up from her sudden touch. But after a few moments, Killua melted into her arms and relaxed. Killua reached up his small arms and wrapped them around Vividus's waist, not wanting the moment to end.

"I know it's going to be scary. I would be if I was in your place," Vividus said, soothing him as she scratched his back. "But at least they are alive. Despite how harsh they are, they are still your family by the end of the day. I'm sure you have someone there that you care for deeply."

She would let out a small sigh, continuing to soothe the young boy as she placed her head on top of his. “Besides, you are always welcome to come stay by me if need be. This place is also your home now. You are always welcome to come whenever you need to.”

He frowned, his heart heavier than usual knowing his sister was locked up due to complications, and that he couldn't do anything about it. He reflected on his feelings, assessing the difficult situation that he was being thrown into. As he thought about it some more, he wondered how his sister would react to meeting Vividus.

_If Alluka were here... I'm sure she would love Onee-chan as much as I do.'_

Talking about Vividus, Killua hardly knows anything about her. It has always been about him and how he feels. The poor boy grew insensitive for not taking her feelings into account. Lifting his head, he looked up at the platinum-blonde with a curious expression.

"Um, Onee-chan, may I ask you something?"

Vividus looked toward Killua. "Shoot."

"Tell me about yourself."

She blinked a few times, startled by his sudden question. "You want to know about me?"

The boy beneath her nodded his head. "Yeah, I've been with you for the past few months, but I still don't know much about you. I want to know you a little better before we part ways."

Blinking several times, this is the first time since they met he wanted to know more about her. There had been questions back then, but they never felt the need to press. She figured all the talk about family made him curious.

She doesn't blame him for being curious.

Leaning her head back, Vividus told Killua how she got where she was. She talked about her amnesia and how she couldn't remember anything about her past. Oddly enough, she even talked about the Kurta Clan situation. With every word that escaped her lips, her heartfelt lighter than before. The boy beneath her stared at her with wide blue eyes, shocked hearing something tragic could happen to someone like her.

"So...you don't recall anything at all?" Killua asked.

"Nothing, I get flashbacks every now and then. But it's just really short memories. From what I can remember. The only memory I know regarding my family life was I had a little brother named Kurapika, sometimes referring to him as Kura-chan. When you called me 'Onee-chan' the other night, it helped jog a memory about him."

Killua frowned, "Was that the reason you cried the other night?"

"Yeah," Vividus admitted, "However, I didn't want you to think it was your fault. If anything, I’m grateful. Being around you jogged some positive memories. So I'm thankful for that."

"I guess," the boy muttered. "Are you thinking of going back? At least to the place where you are from?"

The woman shook her head, "Maybe, I haven't thought of it yet."

The boy shook her for a second, which surprised Vividus. "You have to! You might be able to remember something if you go back!"

"Perhaps, but we'll see.” She said, laughing nervously as she stopped him from shaking her. “For now, I want to see you succeed in your mission first. Once you finish, then I'll figure it out from there on what I want to do."

The Kurta and Zoldyck were silent. Afterwards, Killua looked up at Vividus and placed his pinky finger in front of Vividus. As she stared at his pinky, she looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"What are you doing?" Vividus asked, a little confused.

"Making you form a pinky promise, baka." Said Killua, "You have to promise me that after I am done here, you will go back and get the answers you have been looking for. You cannot live the rest of your life not knowing who you are.”

After she stared at his pinky, thoughts began dancing through her mind again. She's not someone who reneges on a promise, and it feels like she accepted his promise: it would definitely help her not only get out of the tower but also give her the answers she’s been looking for about herself.

However, Vividus is also scared to know. She felt scared to not be able to live up to her promise to the child before her. The more her thoughts sprung while Hisoka's last words to her soon started echoing in her mind.

_Go back to the beginning._

Feeling a sudden memory flash before her eyes, she felt her chest suddenly tighten. As she watched the memory played in her mind, it was as though it was something extremely important to her.

_“I’m afraid you’ll never return once you leave,” the blonde boy stammered, tears starting to stroll down his cheeks._

_“Please know that you’re the reason why I made it this far, Kurapika,” I said, touching the boy’s cheek while wiping away his tears. “No matter what happens, I will always come back for you...”_

Raising her pinky, she grabbed Killua's small pinky and closed it. The moment their promise was sealed, Vividus said the simple words towards Killua, just as she did towards that blonde boy in her memory she had once forgotten.

> **"I promise."**


	12. Going × Back (1)

> **C H A P T E R T W E L V E**

Today was the day.

After Killua finally succeeded in reaching the two-hundredth floor, he called his family, letting him know that he's coming home. While walking alongside the child, Vividus knows she is going to miss him very much. Spending time with him has been a delightful experience. She definitely felt like she gained an ally.

"I'm going to miss you," Killua frowned as they walked along the street. "It's going to be strange not having you around."

Vividus nodded in agreement, "I know we'll cross paths one day. Plus, we have each other's numbers so we'll stay in touch!"

Killua grinned brightly towards the Kurta woman and nodded his head. "You better!"

Both having a good laugh, Vividus noticed Killua slowing his pace. Blinking, she looked up to see what he was looking at.

It was a toy store with tons of cool toys and gadgets. Connecting his eyes, she observed he was looking at a yellow skateboard with a red arrow on it. His eyes were sparkling, but he also was trying to refrain from buying it.

Getting a lightbulb to go off above her head, she grinned to herself and ruffled the kid's hair.

"I'll be right back."

"What are you-" Cutting the kid off, Vividus ran into the store.

As she walked out, Killua saw that Vividus purchasing the skateboard Killua had his eyes on. To make things even better: the box of chocolate balls with a robotic box was also there.

As she handed over the skateboard and the chocolate bag to the boy, she smiled brightly. "Congrats on making it to the second floor, Killua. I'm so proud of how hard you worked."

The child pouted, hesitating to take the items from her hands. "I can't, this is a bit much."

"This is what you call a gift, kiddo. You deserve it." Placing the skateboard and chocolate in his hands, she kneels down before him. “I’ll miss you. This is the least I could do before we separate. You may not realize it, but you being by my side helped me more than you could possibly imagine.”

She laughed softly as she reached out toward the child, ruffling his hair one last time before they parted ways.

“Thanks, Killua, for everything you have done for me.”

While looking back and forth from the skateboard to Vividus, Killua's eyes began to tear up. Gently setting down the items, Killua would leap into the woman's arms. Hugging her, ever so tightly.

"B-Baka, You got it the other way around, ” He sobbed, not wanting to let her go “I should be the one thanking you. For loving and accepting a bratty kid such as me. I’ll miss you so much, Onee-chan. "

Laughing softly, she would return the hug, hugging the child beneath her. Planting a small kiss on top of his head.

"I'll miss you too kiddo, I promise I'll stay in touch with you."

"Don't forget the other promise." The kid reminded, making Vividus chuckle some more.

“Of course, Killua,” She replied, “I promise I’ll do everything I can to learn more about my family."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After parting ways with Killua, Vividus decided it was time for her to go on her own journey. Taking the advice of the clown, the young woman packed all the materials she needed to return to the place where she hopes to find answers:

The Kurta Clan Village.

As she settled into her seat, Vividus stared outside the window. As usual, many thoughts ran across her mind. Especially about what her home will look like once she gets back there. Whenever the air pilot would announce to the passengers how close they are, Vividus felt herself growing nervous. Apart of her wanted to jump off the ship and swim back to the tower. She just wanted to hide in her suite and fight.

However, every time she wants to back out, an image of Hisoka and Killua appears in her mind. Not only did she think of her promise to Killua, but also how she doesn’t want Hisoka to not view her as weak.

 _'Damn it all!'_ Vividus cursed to herself. _"I can't believe I actually care about what the clown thinks of me."_

Letting out a small sigh, she sat further back in the plush seat. Knowing it's going to be another few hours, she reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook and pen. Staring at the page in front of her, she began to write.

Scribbling into her notebook, she was writing out her journey so far on trying to remember. She talked about Biscuit, her time at Heavens Arena, meeting Hisoka and Killua. While writing, Vividus couldn't help but snicker to herself when she wrote out her fondest memories with Killua.

After a few moments passing, she looked down and realized she had completed about three pages. Turning the pages, it finally dawned on her that she had not written a journal entry;

But a letter.

As she read the top line of the first page, her expression turned into one of sadness: realizing that the letter she wrote was addressed to her family. As she traced her fingers along the letters, she felt a sudden memory flash before her eyes.

* * *

_Today was a beautiful day, the sky was clear, and the weather was just perfect. For once, the park wasn't as bad as usual in terms of crowd control. There weren't as many people, but honestly, I liked it better that way._

_Looking at my notes I wrote another letter to my family and Kurapika. I was telling them that I am safe and sound and it has been over a year since I left the village. I stopped writing in my notebook, a small sigh escaping my lips._

_Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind. Giggling, I looked back to see him behind me. Resting his chin on my shoulders to see what I was writing._

_Looking at the man, he had short hair and bandages wrapped around his forehead. Although the majority of his face was blurred, all I could see were his lips, just like the blonde boy who was supposed to be my little brother._

_Realizing that he was trying to read my letter, I closed the book on him and turned to him in a playful manner. "Oi, what did I say about reading my letters?" I said sternly._

_"Come on, it's not like you're writing a diary entry." The man replied, "Is this another letter for your family?"_

_"Yes, of course," I replied, poking his cheek. "We have no technology over in the village, so writing letters is the most efficient way to communicate."_

_By his smug expression, it appeared he was rolling his eyes. "Why do you always write to them? That's literally all you do besides spending time with me or training with your master."_

_I felt my hand graze against the book cover. I smiled softly, holding my notebook up toward the faceless man._

_"Sending a handwritten letter is becoming such an anomaly, it's disappearing. There's something visceral about opening a letter. When my family sees my handwriting, they see me. Just like how I see them when I receive theirs."_

* * *

Vividus blinked a few times as she realized she'd just unlocked a new memory. Staring at the notebook, she slowly moved her finger across the pages. Unlike before, no tears came out. Instead, a smile spread across her pink lips.

She was happy to discover a new memory of her old self.

However, there was one thing that stood out from that memory;

' _Who was that man?'_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Finally arriving in the Lukso province, she stepped out of the airship. Looking around, she could see the place hustling with all kinds of people. Compared to the city, this place felt calmer and more relaxing. There weren't any skyscrapers, no planes, or many cars. Just lots of wooded areas and a couple of decent-sized buildings. It felt so familiar.

Although it wasn't the best start, the person at the reception was nice and tried to find ways to discuss how she could reach her destination. However, because of how this area lacks the technology and resources: there is only so much Vividus can do in terms of travel.

At first, she would manage to encounter some people to be her guide, but as soon as she mentions her wanting to go to the Kurta Clan's village, they would all quiver away.

 _‘Fucking cowards,’_ Vividus thought to herself. _‘I swear, these people are more spineless than I expected. Why must this journey be so difficult?’_

After putting her stuff down, the poor Kurta woman decided to rest at the cafe. After placing an order, she felt like she needed something sweet to soothe her senses. Tapping her nails on the table impatiently, she bit her lower lip with annoyance.

Nonetheless, she also felt very defeated.

"Is something wrong, Miss?" a feminine, yet smooth voice interrupted.

Looking up, she can see the waitress who took her order earlier. She had golden blonde hair that was tied in a look bun. Wearing a white dress shirt and a black vest. If Vividus was being honest with herself, the woman before her was absolutely stunning.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Vividus stutters, watching the waitress place the parfait she ordered in front of her, "I'm just having trouble."

"If I may ask, what do you need assistance with?" The waitress asked, tilted her head to the side and held her tray close to her chest.

"I'm looking for a specific village, that's all."

"What would that be then?"

Biting her lower lip, Vividus wasn't sure if she should tell the woman where the village may be. But after seeing the results she's been receiving so far, she thought maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell the waitress.

"I'm searching for the Kurta Clan's village," Vividus stated plainly, eating a small bite of her parfait. It was delicious. "Whenever I try to hire a guide or ask the locals for information, they seem to be scared off and deny me. I'm beginning to think the village is cursed."

The blonde woman laughed quietly, "Can you blame them? They got slaughtered by criminals, and the town mentioned how the clan had the eyes of the Devil. In all honesty, it's hard to blame them for not getting involved."

"Eyes of the Devil?" Vividus repeated frowning at the comment. Being a Kurta, she found it offensive. "Isn't that a rude assumption?" she asked.

"Like I said," the blonde woman replied, holding up her hands in defence. "Those were other people's words. Not mine."

Vividus stared at her parfait, taking another bite "I suppose you're right," She mumbled." It's just, I really need to get to that village."

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow. "If I may ask, why?"

Lifting her head up, she connected her hazel-gray eyes with the blonde's brown ones. The waitress felt herself being taken back, surprised to see her expression from looking defeated, suddenly turning into a look of perseverance.

"I made a promise to someone that I would look for the answers I needed. If I go back on my word, I don't think I can ever face them again."

Blinking a few times, the waitress was taking in the woman's words with seriousness. Seeing how she was applying every word with determination, she was impressed. Vividus was surprised to see a sudden smile spread across the waitress's lips.

Somehow, her expression looked very familiar to her, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

The blonde waitress stood from her seat. She retrieved a notepad and pen from her pocket, then started to scribble into them. Soon, she tore the page out and placed it in front of Vividus.

"Go to this guy. They'll take you where you need to go as long as the price is right. However, they'll only take you until you're at the edge of the forest, you'll have to walk from there."

The young woman's eyes glowed in delight. She grabbed the paper and looked at the information the waitress had given her. Standing up from her seat, she bowed to the waitress repeatedly, making the waitress uncomfortable.

Thank you so much! I don't know how to repay you." Vividus exclaimed, "Please, name your price. I have to repay you for giving me such valuable information!"

Vividus chuckled, waving her hand at the waitress. "There's no need to be so polite.."

"I can't help it! You don't know how much this means to me!" She said, shaking her head.

Vividus took the tall glass and started to chug down her last bits of the parfait. As she was about to reach into her pocket to pay for the bill; the waitress stopped her.

"Don't worry, it's on the house."

Furrowing her eyebrows, she crossed her arms across her chest and said, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

The waitress shrugs, "I suppose...you remind me of someone I once knew. Seeing you just reminds me how much she meant to me."

Vividus frowned, "Has something happened between you and your friend?"

She stared at the young woman once more, trying to gather her thoughts. Eventually responding with a sad smile, "Let's just say I hurt her very deeply. I'm not sure if she ever will forgive me."

Reaching out, Vividus placed a hand on her shoulder. "Can't you just apologize? I'm sure your friend will forgive you if you explain how you feel."

She shook her head as she patted her hand on top of Vividus before gently taking it off.  
"Trust me, after what I've done to her. I don't think she'll ever forgive me."

Before Vividus could utter another word, the waitress cut her off by bowing to her. Turning away from the young woman, the waitress started walking away.

"Thank you for coming, I hope you find the answers you're looking for."

With that, the blonde waitress vanished from her sight. Frowning, she was sad to see her leave so abruptly.

"I never got her name..." 

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Leaning against the wall, Hisoka was playing with his deck of cards. To fill the silence, all he could hear was cards shuffling as he waited for a certain blonde-waitress to return.

Grinning, he discovered that the woman he had waited for had finally arrived back. She was sighing stressingly, and her brown eyes were looking up at Hisoka's golden ones. Her expression now emotionless.

"Have you had fun acting? I must say, that was a great performance...;

Pakunoda."

Rolling her eyes, Pakunoda would place her serving tray down and undo her hair tie. Her hair falling freely.

"It wasn't an act." The blonde replied.

"In denial, aren't we?" The Jester teased as Pakunoda glared at him.

"You know if the boss finds out about this, he's going to kill us both, right?" she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Whatever do you mean?" Hisoka asked, shuffling his deck of cards.

"You know exactly what I mean," Pakunoda said, narrowing her eyes. "Why do you want to help Vividus with her memories back? How do you even know her?"

The Jester rolled his eyes, becoming increasingly annoyed by her questions, "I should be asking you that~, aren't you the one who locked away her memories in the first place?"

The blonde flinched, staring away from Hisoka. "It was an order."

Her response mused him. "It doesn't matter that you did it. Admit it! You still care about the lovely flower."

He heard Pakunoda glaring at him as she clicked her tongue. "I will be honest, I still do. However, since this encounter literally threatened my life, I deserve to know a few things."

Hisoka shrugged, "You may ask."

Pakunoda narrowed her eyes, "Why do you want to help Vividus regain her memories? Aren't you aware that if she discovers that you are a member of the troupe, she'll kill you too?"

Hisoka giggled, "Oh, I'm aware. But I think you ought to worry about yourself more than me~."

Pakunoda questioned, "Why is that?"

"It's really quite simple," Hisoka said, no longer playing cards in his hand, "I'm not the one who killed her family~."

The moment he said those words, he saw devastation written across her face. His lips curled into a sadistic grin as he let out a small chuckle. Happy that he hit Pakunoda where it hurts.

He picked up the first card that was on top of the deck, which revealed a queen of hearts. Hisoka grinned, "Second if my precious flower has her memories restored, I'll be able to challenge her at her best~!"

Hisoka groaned in delight, feeling a shiver run down his spine. This caused Pakunoda to stare at him in disgust.

The blonde muttered in annoyance, "I can't believe I agreed to go along with this."

After Hisoka had his moment, he looked at Pakunoda with a smirk. "Look at it this way: Despite the possible chance of the boss killing you; you're doing the right thing in helping out our beloved flower."

Feeling a burst of dark laughter escaping his thin lips, Hisoka no longer leaned against the doorway. Soon he started to make his grand exit as he said his final words towards the female troupe member.

“And besides;

> **_it's the least you can do for destroying that poor girl’s life.”_ **


	13. Going × Back (2)

> **C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N**

After Vividus' encounter with the waitress, her journey became a lot easier. Through the blonde's information, she found a guide willing to take her to her destination, although it wasn't cheap. However, she knows it is worth it in the long run.

Given they are using a large chicken steed (known as a Filolial) for transportation, it makes sense why it is so pricey. This guide is the only one who is willing to do the job.

 _I need to thank that waitress if I ever see her again.'_ Vividus thought to herself.

Vividus feels her chest become heavier and her breathing becomes rougher the closer she gets to the village. She doesn't know why she feels this way. Holding her hand over her heart, she clutched onto her red jacket. Trying to calm her breathing as a result of feeling anxious.

"Are you alright, miss?" Her guide asked, looking at her with a worried look.

"I-I'm fine." She stammered, "Just nervous."

The guide nodded their head. "If you insist, we will be reaching the forest shortly. Sadly I cannot join past that point." The guide explained, "I will set up camp and wait for you until you are finished."

Vividus smiled warmly towards the man, bowing her head towards her guide. "Thank you so much."

Looking down at the creature, she would gently pet its feathers, she watches as it shivers in delight.

She laughed softly. Seeing how beautiful this creature is: she felt a small memory unlock.

* * *

_Peeking over bushes I was hiding in, I glanced over at the chicken steed that was chilling by a nearby lake. Studying its features, my eyes glisten on how attractive it is. I believe it is a Filolial? Thought to ponder my thoughts on the beautiful creature, I saw a saddle resting on its back. I felt something come to mind._

_I want to ride the chicken._

_"Onee-chan! Don't do it!" cried a cute voice._

_I looked down to see the familiar blonde kid's head pop out from the bush. Unfortunately, his face is still blurred. But by how he's reacting, it looks like he's worried about what I'm about to do._

_"Relax, Kura-chan! I got this!" I said confidently, ready to pounce on the majestic creature._

_"Mama is going to kill you if you get hurt!" Kurapika yelled, nervously biting his nails. "Papa said not to startle them! We just got them!"_

_"Nah, I got it! Just watch your sister become a cool kid." I smiled._

_Kurapika protested but I ignored him. I just wanted to hug the fluffy bird._

_Gathering energy and strength, I jumped into the air in an attempt to land myself on the Filolial. But as I approached it, I saw its head turn, glaring at me as if it knew about my plan. I looked down, I saw its leg beginning to raise._

_"Oh no-"_

_I saw its leg extend and swung it. Feeling its talons kick me forward towards the lake._

**_SPLASH_ **

_Realizing what had just happened, I rushed up to the surface. Popping my head out of the water, I saw my little brother at the edge of the lake: his cute small hands crossed with the bird steed standing by his side._

_By the glint in its eyes, the bird knew exactly what it had done to me. If it had had a human face: I would have thought it was smirking, amused by my misfortune._

_"I guess I'll try again next time," I giggled._

_"You're such a baka!" Kurapika yelled at me, causing me to howl in laughter._

* * *

Blinking a few times, Vividus looked around to realize that she was back in the present. Looking ahead of her, she could see her guide still walking alongside her. The Kurta woman looked down at her steed, smiling, and petted its side.

After remembering that memory, she felt her anxiety calming down. Looking ahead, she felt her emotions calm themselves down.

 _'You got this Vividus,'_ She thought to herself, ' _You're almost there."_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Vividus paused in front of the entrance to the forest. Looking up, she felt the familiarity this scenery was bringing to her. Standing there and staring into the entryway, she...just...waited.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Her guide asked, concerned.

Vividus didn't say a word, but instead nodded her head in response.

Vividus drew in a deep breath and let it go out as her whole body started to shake. Knowing that this is what needs to happen, she knew it was the right thing to do. She felt her feet move forward without saying another word.

She enters the forest that leads to her so called: 'home.'

Every step she took caused her world to crumble around her. Looking around, she noticed that memories were starting to reappear all around her. As if they were spirits from the past. Vividus felt like she was going insane, she heard children laughing and giggling. Looking down, she saw a child grab her hand and pull her towards the village.

 _"Come on! We're almost there!"_ a voice exclaimed in her ear.

Vividus didn't want to say anything. She too was afraid.

Looking at the so-called Spirit. The kid pulling her hand had medium brown hair and wore a maroon tabard with pale yellow outlines and design. She could only see his lips, and the rest of his face was blurry.

As she stared at the ghostly figure in front of her, a name finally occurred to her on who this child is as another memory unlocked for her.

* * *

_"Why are you sad little one?"_

_Hiccuping, he would use his sleeve and wipe his tears away. "I-It's going to be different not seeing you around Vivi-nee." the brunette child replied, "Y-You taught me so much. You're like the older sister I always wanted..."_

_"Aw...sweetheart," I said softly, raising my hand up and wiped his tears away. "You'll always be my little rascal. Even if we're not related by blood. I know you'll do just fine without me! We'll see each other again some day."_

_Nodding his head, he would try to gather as much confidence as he would. Taking a step closer, he would stand on his tippy toes and plant a small kiss on my cheek. Feeling myself blush a little by his sudden actions._

_"Thank you Vivi-nee," He said cutely, "I hope to see you again someday."_

* * *

As the memory finally ended, Vividus felt her heartache. Remembering the small child, she realized that this was the child that promised to look after Kurapika while she was gone.

"P-Pairo?" She whispered.

Vividus felt her heartache. Hearing this boy's voice echo in her mind made her want to cry. Her mind remembering who the boy was to her.

"T-That's right," Vividus whispered, "You were Kura-chan's best friend."

Vividus remembers how her little brother and Pairo would play together. Despite the child’s small size, the brunette boy would always work his hardest when she trains him during martial arts class. From how she felt toward the boy, she loved how kind and humble he was.

After walking forward, her whole body stopped walking. She felt Pairo's hand released her own and disappeared from view. After blinking a few times, she looked up to see where she currently is.

She can't believe it. Looking around her, she can see that the village's huts are either torn down or burnt. Due to how long it has been, plants have begun to grow out of the houses. Some houses have plants, while others do not. Vividus can see damage around the village. Walking in further, she could see damaged wooden weapons on the ground. The weapons in the flower-covered field indicated this had in fact been a battlefield at some point.

The Kurta woman saw a memory fragment of the place once looked like. It was beautiful, everyone was happy and always smiling. As more faceless people appeared around her, tears started to flow down her eyes. Her body remembered how welcoming this village was. She wiped away tears, trying to keep herself together. Each time she took a step, she saw more and more people appear, giving their usual grins and smiles.

"I'm back..” Vividus whispered.

Vividus wandered around the village scouting out the place and checking what was left. After walking around a bit, she felt her feet halt. Her body turned around and saw a very familiar hut. She wasn't sure why, but she felt her body started to gravitate towards the place.

Placing her hand on the door, it slowly creaked open. Looking around, the house looked like a mess. Dust was everywhere, the walls looked damaged, the whole atmosphere made her feel uncomfortable. Entering the hut, she decided to examine the ground. With every step she took, she could feel her heart pound against her chest.

"Come on, Vividus..." She reassured herself, trying to give herself some courage.

Examining each room, she found that there were still a few pieces of furniture around the place. It was as if the bedrooms hadn't been touched in years. Eventually, she reached the last room down the hall and opened the door.

She felt a sudden nostalgic feeling hitting her as she opened the door. She saw a desk, light blue sheets, and a beautiful wardrobe with hand-carved details. Walking over to the bed, she sat down, allowing her emotions to take hold.

"This must be my room," Vividus whispered to herself, staring at the doorway. "I...remember. This must be the room I slept in with Kura-chan."

Standing up again, she felt her heartbeat rise rapidly in her chest as she needed to know more. Memories were coming back faster as she left the room. She heard voices and laughter, and her eyes started to tear up again.

"Why?" Vividus pondered.

Running down the hall, she turned in a corner and entered the living room. Looking around and seeing everything in pieces, she scanned the room, trying desperately to put a face to a name.

"Come on, there must be something in here!" she yelled, as she started to tear the house apart. Lifting wooden planks from the floor, opening cabinets, just...anything.

Vividus could feel her blood boiling, she was growing impatient. She was becoming nauseous from her headache. So many experiences are opening up to her on how familiar this home is, but nothing seemed to be happening.

"Damn it!" She said, leaning her arm against the fireplace. "There must be something here!"

Feeling her head drop she stared at the ground. Biting her lower lip in frustration, Vividus felt as if she were so close but so far. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness and loss is overpowering as she finally reaches her destination, yet nothing is here.

Looking up, she could see a cracked mirror placed on top of the fireplace. Looking into her reflection, she noticed her eyes were once again scarlet. The cracked mirror made her face look so…

broken.

"Look at me," She whispered to herself as she placed her hand against the cracked mirror. "I'm such a mess."

Letting out a quiet sigh, she pulled her arm back toward her.

Vividus felt this was a complete waste of time. She was about to turn around and walk out the door, telling the guide to take her back to the town so she could go back to the heavens arena. In her heart, she felt like she would forever be a broken doll, unable to find her purpose in life. She thought to herself that despite her efforts, she was doomed to spend the rest of her days in Heavens Arena. As she was about to walk away from her so-called home;

Something gleams in her view.

Looking forward, she noticed something all dusted up on top of the fireplace ledge. Reaching out, she picked up the thing that felt like a frame. It was so dusty that she couldn't even make out what it was. The dust flew away as she blew it off the frame. Vividus used the sleeve of her jacket to clean off the frame a bit more, hoping for a better view of the photo.

Lifting the picture back into her view, she stared at it.

Vividus felt her breath becoming shaky; she trembled, and soon tears started streaming down her face. Using her left hand, she creased the photograph.

Looking down, it was a photo of two males and two females. The male had short brown hair and a green garb with a bluish lining. The other woman who seemed older was beautiful; she had blonde hair and hazel-grey eyes: just like her. She wore more of a knee-high red dress with pink lining. She looked down, saw herself wearing blue and yellow garb, and a small boy with blonde hair and grey eyes. Wearing a similar outfit to her own. The same boy that always appears whenever she has her memory flashbacks. The same child that her mind seems to cherish so much.

Realizing who this was, she slowly uttered his name.

"K-Kurapika"

She told him his name and felt a sudden wave of motion sickness go through her. Dropping the frame out of her hand, she kneeled over and made a grip on her head, shaking it in an attempt to stop the pain. She felt her heart pound against her chest as she felt reality suddenly shift. Vividus nen suddenly flared up as though it was not concealing itself anymore. Her body was responding as if it were being threatened; it became out of control.

Vividus, still clutching onto her head, dropped to the ground. As her head ached more, tears poured from her eyes. She jerked her head upwards, shrieking with pain at the top of her lungs.

As her scream escaped, she felt the once locked up memory bank: suddenly opening up to her. It felt like her body was being swallowed up by a tsunami. Each memory that hit her made her feel as though she were drowning.

* * *

_"Vividus, I hereby grant you permission to leave for an indefinite period of time." TheChieftain announced,_

_"I'm afraid you'll never return to me once you leave," Kurapika said, as tears stream down his cheeks._

_"No matter what happens," I said, wiping away his years, "I will always come back for you”_

* * *

_"Pay attention Vivi-chan!"_   
_"So cruel, Biscuit-san!"_

* * *

_"Even if the people who live on this planet are monsters?" He asked, catching her off guard_

_"Even if people are monsters,” I replied, staring deep into his onyx hues._

* * *

_"Pakunoda!"_

_"Oi Kid, I'm sure your people will be proud of you regardless,"_

* * *

_"Vividus, what are you doing?" Chrollo said weakly, looking at me with worried eyes._

_I stared deeply into Chrollo's eyes, smiling reassuringly, I'm going to save you."_

* * *

_"Why didn't you tell me?"_

_"You must understand that I didn't say because I wanted to protect them. I'm willing to die for them. Even if it means going up against you."_

* * *

_"You're an idiot."_

_"I know."_

* * *

**_Subject: Mission K_ **

**_Do you accept this job posting?_ **

**_I felt all the wonderful memories disappear._ **

**_Never in my life did I ever feel so betrayed as I did then. His answer alone was what killed me inside._ **

~~**_Accept_ ** ~~

* * *

_"Come on Vividus, let's stop fighting and talk about this."  
"There is nothing to talk about, Chrollo! You used me to get to my family!"_

* * *

_"Was our time together a lie? Did that cold dead heart of yours at least feel a single beat towards me?!"_

_"No, I cherished every moment with you."_

_"Then why accept the job then?!"_

* * *

_"I am Chrollo Lucifer, leader of the Phantom Troupe. We steal whatever we want in life regardless of whether it involves someone's life or not. So if using you is the only way to get what we desire, so be it."_

_“I understand...I suppose I can no longer hold back.”_

* * *

_"As much as I adored this kid, are we going to kill her?"_

_"No, once Pakunoda retrieves the location: are we going to erase her memories."_

_"Please! Anything but that! You're already going to kill my whole family; what more do you want?!"_

_"You're too dangerous."_

_"Then kill me!"_

_"I don't want to kill you."_

* * *

_"Any last words?" Pakunoda asked softly, as though she was holding back tears._

_"Pray that I will never remember; if I do, I promise to exterminate each and every one of you; you have my word."  
I said, staring towards the Phantom Troupe feeling my eyes shine brightly with hatred._

_"Good," Pakunoda said, "We'll be waiting for you."_

* * *

Vividus suddenly opened her eyes, her breath was heavy, and she felt the mixture of tears and sweat. Trying to control her breathing, she relaxed her body and covered her nen again with her zetsu.

"I remember everything," Vividus whispered weakly to herself.

Lifting herself from the ground, she felt her body become weak. Holding the side of her head, she felt like her mind had been shot numerous times, which makes sense since Pakunoda shot her with her nen ability.

Bending down, Vividus picked up the frame. Folding the photo, she placed it in her jacket pocket. Turning around, she started to leave her old home. Getting her memories back, she needed to verify one last thing before leaving.

Walking through the village, the place didn't feel familiar anymore. Vividus felt like everyone in her past was following behind her wherever she went. Every blurry face she remembered in this village has a name. Her mind felt clear, and she felt content. Stepping closer to where she wanted to go, she felt the spirits wanted to witness her last moments with the village.

She pushed her way through the bushes to reach her final destination of the part of her journey. When she arrived in the clearing, she remembered a clearing with the lake. Walking forward, she looked down to see the majority of the clearing had bumps in the soil.

The traditional Kurta garbs were tied to each individual wooden plank. As she grew closer towards it, she traced her fingers along the letters to see a name carved in. From the first grave, the observer found a lot more scattered over the field as there was a total of 128 graves in all.

Looking up at the graves, Vividus gathered herself, passing along the graves. Finally approaching a tree, Vividus kneeled down. She stared at three stones with familiar clothing. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't.

Her heart ached again, and she hugged herself and kneeled forward, looking at the stones. Each stone was engraved with her parent's name.

"Mama... Papa... I am so sorry." She said to herself, "I tried so hard to protect you all, but I failed."

A faint presence appears on each side of her, giving her a warm hug. Vividus wasn't sure what it was, but she knew who it was. The Kurta woman begins to feel more vulnerable than she already does. But her parents' love is helping her calm down.

Vividus knew she had to take a look at the final gravestone. Knowing she had to confirm for herself whether her baby brother was dead. Taking a deep breath, she let it all out. Looking down, she saw there was a piece of fabric covering the name. She bent down and moved it out of the way. Bracing herself to see her baby brother's name, she craved in.

But what she saw was different;

It was her name.

"W-What?"

She presumed the grave would bear her baby brother's name, "Kurapika," but was shocked to see her own name on the grave.

She was so shocked, Vividus fell backwards and landed on her bottom, staring at the tombstone. Her hazel-grey eyes stared at the tombstone in disbelief. Wondering if it was some sort of sick joke.

Yet, it wasn't.

For the first time in her life, Vividus felt the biggest grin appearing on her face. For a moment, she threw her head back in wonderment and laughed out loud. She ran her hands through her hair and felt the sudden breeze brush against her skin. As her realization hit, she received the best news of her life.

"He survived!"

Vividus howled towards the sky. The tears she thought were dry now flowed down her cheek again. Instead of tears of sadness, it was tears of joy.

"Kurapika's alive!"

When she laughed with herself, she lay on the grass and for how long she didn't know. But it got dark and her mind was all over the place. Despite the pain when her memories came flooding back, Vividus suddenly felt complete.

In the dim light of a sky filled with stars, she narrowed her eyes and raised a hand above her head, flinging it into a fist. Now forming two new goals, she set out to accomplish them.

> **1\. Find Kurapika.**
> 
> ****
> 
> **2\. Hunt down the Phantom troupe, using whatever means necessary.**


	14. Three × Years × Later

> **C H A P T E R F O U R T E E N**

**~.:[Hisoka]:.~**

_"Tomorrow night marks Heavens Arena's 125th anniversary, and the establishment will be hosting a Moonlight Ball to honour this achievement. All floor masters and competitors starting from the 190th floor will be our VIP guests._ _We hope you humbly accept this invitation and attend this event!_ _We hope you consider accepting this invitation to attend this event!_ _"_

_After receiving an invitation to Heavens Arena's Midnight ball, Hisoka stared blankly at the invitation._

_"Wow, you got invited to such a party?" a voice said behind him, peeking over his shoulder._

_It was Illumi._

_He would put the note back into his pocket with a small sigh. Stretching his body to get the kinks out to get the feeling back in his joints. He was surrounded by dead bodies that Illumi wanted Hisoka to help kill._

_"Yes, Heavens Arena has invited certain competitors from the Arena to attend as VIP guests. I am actually thinking of attending."_

_"Oh?" The older Zoldyck asked, tilting his head to the side. I didn’t think you were into parties. What’s the occasion?”_

_"Simple really~" He purred in response, licking his lips. "My little flower is going to be there! It's been so long since I've seen those lovely eyes of hers~"_

_Back then, he could remember how innocent she was then—the platinum blonde woman trembling in his arms. Hisoka wanted more of it. He needed to fulfill the craving he had for the Kurta woman from the past three years of not seeing her. Hisoka was indeed curious about what his favourite toy was up to, but he hasn't seen her since he and Pakunoda joined forces to help regain her memories back._

_Surprisingly enough, Vividus hardly showed up for her matches. Every time he went to see her, her floor was empty. She only fought against certain challengers to help fill her quota in order to keep her floor._

_During that time, Hisoka has been attending to his own business or performing tasks that have been assigned to him by the Phantom Troupe. Over those three years, he's attempted to take the Hunter Exam, but got disqualified due to nearly killing an Examiner._

_Other than that, Hisoka had to admit to himself that he was bored._

_"I just don't understand," Illumi said bluntly, playing with his hair. "You've been obsessed with her for all these years, so how is that possible?"_

_"It's very difficult to explain Illumi-kun," Hisoka replied, "Vivi-chan is just so much fun, what she says, how she acts, how strong of a fighter she is, stunning in every way, she fits the whole package."_

_He embraced himself, feeling shivers go down his spine. "I just want to break her down and make her mine."_

_Hisoka watched his compatriot roll his eyes, shaking his head with a disapproving look on his face. "Whatever you say, Hisoka."_

* * *

Watching the ballroom bustle with all kinds of unique people, Hisoka would lean over the balcony railing and observe his surroundings. He was actually glad he came out to the party.

This would allow him to find and fight, or kill, potential challengers.

Despite all that, Hisoka is not here for that reason.

 _'Where are you, my little doe?'_ thought Hisoka to himself.

His eyes constantly scanned the room, trying to find the little doe so he could take her back in his arms. Hisoka was curious, wondering what she was like now that she had regained her memories.

After going through all that trouble of convincing Pakunoda to help Vividus regain her memories, it made him miss the Kurta woman. The fact that he hasn't seen her for three years is just a great tease for him.

The longer he stays away from her, the more his lust for the Kurta woman grows.

 _'Ah, My favourite flower, you're making this really hard.'_ He thought to himself while trying to loosen his tie.

Hisoka doesn't belong to this kind of fancy party type. He feels more comfortable in his unique attire because it's more practical. Nevertheless, he was willing to put some effort into his looks, just for Vividus.

Hisoka was staring into the distance when he saw so many ordinary people gathered on the dance floor. He felt a bit disappointed seeing so many uninteresting, common folk gathered around from the bottom.

The Jester thought that it would be easy to spot the platinum-blonde among all the others in the crowd. Her looks alone made her stand out like a sore thumb.

But then he couldn’t find her, and it was becoming an irritation for him. Hisoka was beginning to consider that perhaps going out to this party was a waste of time. There was little chance of running into the Kurta survivor.

Hisoka Morow, however, likes to gamble and takes chances, so he naturally took the chance and came out.

“What a waste of time,” Hisoka muttered to himself, no longer leaning against the railing. “I should’ve known better she wouldn’t be here.”

As he said these words, he did not notice that someone was walking up the staircase. Due to how well that person concealed their presence, the Jester did not sense them at all. It was only then that their familiar tone of voice caught her attention.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Hisoka?" asked in a soft voice.

He turned his head, and slowly found himself standing up, looking at the woman before him. His gold eyes widened a bit in surprise that he didn't feel the woman's presence.

Her long, platinum blonde hair flowed all the way down to her back. Her hazel-gray eyes piercing into his golden hues. She was wearing a tight, long-sleeved dress that was just above her knees.

The fabric clung to her tone features and curves. The top of her dress showed a bit of cleavage which he didn't mind. Despite not seeing her for a long time, he could definitely see some changes.

It was breathtaking, there is no doubt about it.

He watched as her fingers tucked some of her hair behind her ear, which gave him a better view of her beautiful face. Hisoka felt the tiny beat of a heart: he had no idea he still had a heart in the first place.

Then it dawned on him: The woman in front of him was Vividus of the Kurta Clan. The woman he’s been looking for all this time.

**{Authors note: I don't own this art! It was made by: @pro_p24, check out their twitter account!}**

**~.:[Vividus]:.~**

She was irritated. Everyone wanted to talk to her as soon as she entered the party. It was too much. The moment she walked into the room with her regular deer mask on, she hadn't realized her fame attracted unwanted attention in the Heavens Arena community.

Not wanting any more attention to herself, she would quickly excuse herself and went into the woman’s bathroom. The moment she entered to see that no one was there, she quickly removed her deer masked and threw it into the trash. Letting out a small sigh, she would stare at her features in the mirror in thought.

Vividus wasn't sure why she was here; after receiving the invitation, Biscuit encouraged her to go out and take a break. She even picked out an outfit and did her hair as well.

Ever since Vividus regained her memories back, she did everything in her power and resources to find Kurapika. She thought with all this money she’s saved up during her time at the tower, she thought it would be an easy task. However, no matter how hard she worked, it always ended up turning into a dead end. The poor woman had no idea that her search for him would turn into a three-year journey.

When she was searching for her brother, her search for the Phantom Troupe wasn't exactly a straightforward task. From what she remembered, these people are difficult to reach. She managed to get some information on some of them and found out about their growth over the last few years. Despite this group growing over the past few years, she was still unable to locate the members. Every time she was close, they always managed to get out of her grasp.

The last three years have not been easy for Vividus. Not a bit.

She was able to pick up a cup of fine wine after leaving the restroom and then found a secluded spot. Leaning against the wall and enjoying the beverage’s contents.

Swirling her glass of red wine in her hand. Staring at its contents as much and chatter filled the room. No one here was interesting, people who tried to talk to her were either perverted old men or competitors trying to bed her.

It was a real irritant.

"Are you alright, miss?" a soft voice asked.

Looking over her shoulder, she would see a man with a beard the colour of snow and a ponytail sticking up with stretched earlobes and two piercings. To other people, he looked like a normal-looking man.

Vividus was not stupid. She could sense the power he possessed behind his gentle exterior. His zetsu is well hidden, but his aura is still very strong. She sensed that he is a force to be reckoned with.

Vividus nodded her head, answering his question. "Yes, Oji-san, just...observing."

The old man chuckled. "My dear, you're just observing? This is a celebration! I think you should be out mingling with others."

"Unfortunately, not many people here intrigue me." Vividus began, taking a sip from her drink. "Besides, even if I did want to interact, the person I was hoping to find isn't here."

The old man nodded her head, leaning against the wall next to Vividus. Stroking his beard, he said, "I see, I will keep you company then."

Her eyebrows raised as she stared at the old man. "Why? You don't even know me."

"I sense great power in you young one, despite how well you conceal yourself with your zetsu."

Vividus widened a bit but chose not to reply to the old man's comment. So the old man continued to speak. "Plus, I wanted to meet Heavens Arenas's youngest floor master! I must say I am very impressed with your abilities."

"Thank you, I suppose?" Vividus hesitantly inquired, taking another sip of her wine. "Is that why you came to me? To talk about my matches? I hate to tell you, but I am not interested in discussing such subject matter right now."

The man laughed again, waving his hand. "No, no child, far from that!" he said. "I was actually wondering if you had considered taking the Hunter's License exam."

"Hunters...License exam?" Vividus repeated slowly.

"Oh? You don't know what that is?" asked the old man.

"Unfortunately, no."

He nodded his head again, stroking his beard.

"The Hunter Association is a non-governmental organization. With passing the Hunter exam, an applicant is rewarded with a license to go almost anywhere in the world and do almost anything, thus declaring them as hunters." The old man explained, "Typically, Hunters devote themselves to tracking down priceless items, mystical places, and the unseen wonders of the world."

She caught the old man by surprise and laughed softly. The old man furrowed his eyebrows together, curious. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry sir," Vividus apologized, waving her hand at him. "I didn't mean to seem rude, but the last part when you talked about the _'unseen wonders of the world'_ reminded me of an old dream I once had."

"Oh?"

She nodded, "I wanted to explore the dark continent, but I didn't pass the trial. Failed miserably, in fact."

Vividus sipped her wine, deciding to take another sip before speaking again. “No look where I am now: bearing the title as a floor master and I am doing something completely different with my life. It’s interesting how our lives turn out sometimes.”

After hearing her comment, the old man could not help but frown. He scratched his head, sighing, "I apologize for bringing up some old wounds."

Vividus shook her head, "Nono, you didn't realize."

"Well dear, regardless, I feel that with your skills set, you'll find what you're looking for when you take the exam." The old man said, chuckling a bit.

Vividus raked her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean?"

The old man grins at the young Kurta woman. "I've heard whispers that another Kurta member is trying to reunite with the other."

With an instant, Vividus flashed red. However, since she was in public, she was forced to suppress her reactions. Before she could utter another word, the old man stood on his tiptoes, patting the young Kurta women's head.

Blinking a few times, she felt even more confused than before. Staring at the old man, she would stare at him with questions. Reading her thoughts, the old man laughed even more.

"Relax child, I'm not a threat." He laughed, "I'm just stating facts."

Being elated, she sighed to herself. Looking away from the man, she felt flustered that she lost her cool for a moment. "I-I’m deeply sorry, Oji-san. That was rude of me to act out like that. Even if it was just for a brief moment."

"It's okay, I understand why you feel the way you do." He said, "Especially after what happened to your clan."

She smiled sadly towards the Old man. Despite their short talk, she does appreciate his kind words. “Thank you for your condolences. It means a lot.”

After she said those words, she decided to take another drink from her wine. With her eyes wandering around the area, she looked up and saw a familiar Jester up on the balcony.

She was shocked to see him here. In all honesty, she was not expecting to see Hisoka here at the event at all. If anything she made a good assumption that the Jester isn’t into parties or any formal events. So seeing him here was a surprise.

He seemed to be searching for someone by the look of his eyes. As if his eyes were like a predator’s looking for its prey. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Vividus knew precisely who he was looking for.

Being awoken from her thoughts, she felt a strong: yet gentle hand patting her shoulder. Looking down, she would see the old man smiling at her.

"It looks like you finally found someone to talk to," he said with a silly grin. "I'll leave it to you, but seriously, you should consider taking the exam. The license will open up so many opportunities for you."

Blinking a few times, she was surprised at how kind the man was. Standing up, she would bow respectfully towards him. "Thank you for providing such important information. I will definitely consider taking the exam."

“I hope so!” The old man replied, playing with his beard again. “The exam will take place in the next few days. You definitely should consider attending. I think your presence will make the exams a lot more interesting."

Nodding her head, Vividus extends a hand towards the man. Returning a warm smile to him. "I know you already know my name but I would still like to introduce myself to you. My name is Vividus."

The man chuckled once more, extending his hand in return for a firm handshake. "The feeling is mutual, my dear. My name is Isaac Netero, and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future."

With that, he vanished into the crowd.

Looking back up, she can tell Hisoka has not noticed her yet. So, using this opportunity, she would slowly walk towards him. Not bringing attention to herself.

Walking up the staircase, Vividus felt as if her heart started beating against her chest as she approached the man. The Jester always intruded on her space and made her uncomfortable. The rational thing to do was to turn around and leave the party.

Whenever Hisoka crosses her mind, all she can recall is that encounter. How close to him she was, his breath against hers, being trapped between his arms. The way that his lips brushed against hers. She hated the way she always gets flustered around him.

In spite of her efforts, her sinful thoughts always end up creeping in and making her yearn for more.

Besides their physical interaction, she couldn't help but be grateful towards Hisoka. He gave her the motivation she needed. Vividus would not have been able to regain memories without his push.

After she arrived at her destination, the woman felt all the time stop, as if everything stopped for a moment. Standing at the entranceway of the balcony, the man before her was Hisoka Morow.

She could hardly believe that the man before her was really Hisoka himself. He wore his hair down, not gelled as she remembered. It was combed well, he wore a grey suit with a swallowtail at the back and a red dress shirt underneath.

Since her nen had been hidden well with her zetsu, the Jester hasn’t noticed her yet. This gave her the opportunity to observe Hisoka from afar. For something so simple looking, she shouldn't have a small blush.

 _'I can't believe I'm saying this.'_ She thought to herself, _'But Hisoka actually looks...handsome.'_

Finally gaining her confidence, Vividus spoke directly to the Jester. "It has been a long time, Hisoka, hasn't it?"

Watching the Jester jump in awe, she turned his gaze towards the platinum-blonde. Upon realizing it was Vividus, the golden hues on his face expanded in shock.

She felt his gaze as if it was infringing on her body. She shifted in her spot uncomfortably, pulling her hair over her ear. His golden eyes scanned through her entire body. It made her feel more anxious than she was already.

"It's apparent that your eyes are wondering, Hisoka." Vividus stammered, hoping to get an answer from him.

Hisoka didn't say a thing. It surprised Vividus, as she's used to Hisoka bickering constantly. However, right now, he seems indifferent. The level of discomfort was so high for Vividus that it felt like it could cut through the air.

He began to progress toward her, causing Vividus to back up a few steps. Initially, she tried to make her way towards the exit, but Hisoka turned. That caused her to stumble in a different direction. When that happened, she felt her back against the wall.

Once again, Hisoka entraps her in his arms.

She stammered, "W-what are you doing?! We're in public!"

"Nobody's going to see us from here, my little flower." The man said, staring into her eyes as he licked his lips.

She felt a lump form in the back of her throat. Trying to figure out a way out of the mess, she felt it was a mistake to come up by herself.

"Hisoka wait I-"

Before Vividus could utter another word, she found her face kissed by the handsome Jester. The kiss was so sudden for her that she tried to push him away. But it only made him press his body against her even more.

Last time, a cup of coffee in her hand stopped the Jester from attacking her body. It prevented him from doing a lot of things that day.

Although this time, nothing can stop him. He was enjoying every minute of this. With every kiss exchanged upon their lips, Vividus felt his bodies pressed up against one another. Hisoka acted so fast, so he positioned them so that she could wrap her legs securely around his waist while her back was pressed against the wall.

Vividus felt her mind go blank when Hisoka kissed her. Every time he did so, she felt her sanity slipping away. With little strength left in her body, she managed to pull away from the Jester for air. As Vividus and Hisoka panted heavily for air, they both stared intently into each other's eyes.

From the looks in Hisoka’s eyes, the woman can tell that his golden hues scream nothing but lust for her.

"H-Hisoka, we need to stop..." She panted, feeling her cheeks turn red.

He smirked and grazed her neck, nibbling on the sensitive part of her earlobe. Hearing a satisfying yelp from Vividus.

“Are you going to stop me?” He husked.

"We're in public, so of course we should stop!" Vividus exhaled loudly, clutching Hisoka's suit tighter in the process.

“I see...” Hisoka shook his head disapprovingly, “That won’t do then. Let’s fix this then, shall we?”

With that, she noticed a seductive grin spread from ear to ear. Unhooking her legs, Hisoka gently placed her down. Soon, taking her hand, and walking away from the party.

"Where are we going?" Vividus asked hesitantly, still trying to process what just happened.

"To a place where we can have all the privacy we want," replied Hisoka, licking his lips in the process. "Back to your room."


	15. Reasons × Why

> **C H A P T E R F I F T E E N**

Upon entering the room, Hisoka kicked the door shut behind him. He placed Vividus on top of the counter while he went back to lock the door.

Vividus' suite was dark; the only thing that illuminated the room was the city's nightlife emanating into the room. However, it was bright enough for Vividus to see Hisoka's outline.

Hearing the door lock, she watched the dressed up Jester saunters towards her, slowly taking off his grey suit that landed on the floor and threw off his black tie. Soon Hisoka started unbuttoning his red dress shirt. The closer he came to Vividus, the more anticipation she felt inside her stomach.

With his final button unfastened, his shirt draped open, showing off his ungodly built body. Vividus reached for Hisoka's chest with her hands, running her fingers down the center of his body. Hisoka's eyes followed her hand trail and pulled her closer to him with his hands.

"You like what you see?" Hisoka teased.

"Perhaps." She said, teasing shrugging her shoulders a bit.

"Come on, I want to hear you say you do~." Hisoka pouted

She would trail her fingers up along his chest, laying one hand on his shoulders and using the other to play with his fuchsia hair. "That means I'm giving in if I do that."

Hisoka glanced at the curvy figure of the Kurta woman and rolled his eyes. "You know, the dress actually looks good on you. I didn't know you owned this type of dress."

"I didn't," She explained. "My master bought it for me, she was appalled I didn't have any fancy clothes...so she bought me this."

Hisoka slowly trailed the back of her dress, sending chills down Vividus' spine. "It's a bit restricting, isn't it? Shall we take it off?" He inquired.

She widened her eyes in shock, shaking her head furiously. "W-what?! Hisoka! I haven't seen you in three years!"

"What's your point?" he asked, trailing his lips along her neck.

"My point is I don't want to jump into this too soon." Vividus muttered, feeling a small moan escape her lips as Hisoka nibbled on a sensitive part of her neck.

"Your words say you don't want it. But your body is responding differently, sweetheart~."

Slowly, but painfully: Hisoka's fingers gripped the zipper. She gasped when she heard the zipper slowly undo itself, allowing the fabric to become loose.

With a swift motion, Hisoka removed the dress and threw it away from the woman. Looking down, he licked his lips to see her figure. She was wearing a light blue lace bra that matched her character. He growled in excitement.

Picking Vividus up from the counter, Hisoka carried her to her bedroom, and threw her onto the mattress. Listening to her yelp in surprise, Hisoka would crawled on top of Vividus with her under him.

"H-Hisoka, wait-!"

"If you truly wanted me off, you could have easily pushed me away," He said, attacking her neck once more. "Just give in."

Vividus felt the hot cheeks become more and more hotter every minute. Every kiss along her neck, every time he touches her body, she felt her will to fight waning. She was not sure why she was letting him do whatever he pleases.

The one thing she is afraid to acknowledge: is that the Jester knows what he's doing.

"N-no," she exhaled.

She knew what he was doing, but she refused to let him take charge. Pushing him up, she was able to flip him onto his back. Vividus was now cradling his waist and Hisoka was resting his head on his back.

As she stared down at Hisoka, Vividus would feel all kinds of emotions, the kind of emotions she had not felt in so long. Looking at the mirror positioned over her bed's headboard, she could see a familiar set of scarlet eyes.

"No," Hisoka breathed, reaching his hand out and cupping her cheek, moving her so that their eyes could fully meet. "Don't look away from me."

"W-why?" Vividus stuttered, staring deeply into his golden hues.

"Your eyes are captivating," the man complimented, "So stunning, I can't get enough of them."

Cold shivers were sent down Vividus's spine, she wasn't sure how to react. His words are something to value because he doesn't compliment others often. The way he uttered those words sent her flying.

"And seeing your eyes turn scarlet during such an intimate moment only makes me desire you more." He said, pulling her closer for a deeper kiss.

Vividus couldn't help but to moan with every kiss that was exchanged. Hisoka placed one hand on the back of her head, he deepened the kiss. While he used his other to put it on her hips. Feeling their hips grind against one another.

She could not think anymore, Hisoka's influence on her was just blurring her mind. The last time she felt this way was with Chrollo. However, it was nothing compared to the moment she is experiencing now. It was never this heated.

This sensation that runs through Vividus's body feels like her body is going into heat for the first time. Every movement that occurred against one another was just a battle for dominance.

Unfortunately for Vividus, Hisoka was winning.

Pulling away from the heated kiss, she was sitting on top of Hisoka's hips, trying to get her breath back. He could see how flushed her face was, how her scarlet eyes were begging for more. He could not express to himself how crazy he's feeling.

For Hisoka, this is just pure bliss of insanity.

Taking this moment, Hisoka would shift beneath Vividus and soon rise. As he moved, the Kurta woman is now straddling his waist even more as he sat up. The Jester felt her hands roaming his chest again, her soft hands exploring his muscular body.

Vividus' fingers started trailing down the hem of his dress shirt, slowly pulling it away from his body. Feeling it was unfair that Hisoka was practically still clothed while she is the only one in her undergarments.

Peeling his dress shirt off, she finally got a better view of the Jester's body. Biting her lower lip: she couldn't help but to admire his god-like features. Trailing her view down even further, it made her blush even more when she noticed his v-line. Trailing her hands from his stomach, feeling her fingertips making their way up his muscular arms.

She stared at the mirror behind him, wondering how toned Hisoka's back was. But the moment her eyes landed on his back, that is when all intimate feelings vanished. Her body froze, staring at the object placed upon it.

"Hisoka, you double-crossing cheat." she hissed, feeling venom slowly drop out of her lips.

The Jester blinked a few times, tilting his head to the side, wondering what made her suddenly stop.

"What do you mean, Vivi-chan?" he asked.

Seeing her suddenly stop, he followed the woman's gaze, wondering what caused her to pause.

Realizing what she was staring at, Hisoka cursed himself as he realized he forgot to peel off his texture surprise of the troupe's tattoo.

"Vivi-chan! I can explain-"

Shaking her head, she would climb off Hisoka's lap and start walking towards the living room of her suite, trying to put on her dress with Hisoka following from behind.

"Leave." Vividus demanded.

"Vivi-chan, let me explain." Hisoka insisted.

"Hisoka, get out of my room right now." She warned once more, feeling anger starting to build up.

"Vividus", Hisoka replied, speaking her proper name for the first time, "Just listen to me..."

Whipping her head around, she would stare deep into his golden hues, no longer seeing the lust in her eyes, but the anger. He felt her nen turn into ren, trying to emphasize that she will kill him.

"There is nothing to explain." She said, "If you don't leave, may God help you because I'm going to rip your body apart."

"There's no need to be so mean." He pouted, not feeling intimidated by her presence. "Let's just talk this out! I have a good explanation for this."

Heroka tried to reach out toward Vividus. However, her rage toward him was much more potent. She used her nen to summon the closest water source all around her: it appeared by her side, surrounding her body.

The Jester's eyes widen in shock as he attempts to defend himself. But it was too late: before he could even get away Vividus controlled the water with rage, pinning Hisoka to the wall.

Her fist clenched shut, turning the water into ice and confining Hisoka's body against the wall. As the Kurta woman slowly approached him with her new wolverine ice claws: She pressed her blade against his neck.

If Hisoka made any movement, his life would be over right then and there.

"Give me one good reason why I should not kill you," Vividus demanded.

"Oh? I can finally talk now?" the Jester asked, raising an eyebrow. However, due to the Jester's comment, Hisoka felt a blade press closer to his neck, making blood trail down his neck.

"Hisoka, now is not the time to try my patience."

Letting out a small sigh, he rolled his eyes and started to explain himself. As he selected his words carefully, he deep down was hoping that deep down what his next answer is going to be: won't be his last.

"You are correct, what you saw is a Phantom's Troupe tattoo. However, it's fake." He explained, "To help further my reasoning on why I joined the Troupe in the first place, it's because I want to fight Chrollo."

"Why Chrollo?" Vividus asked, already indignant at the mention of his name. "Out of everyone in the Phantom Troupe, why him?"

She watched Hisoka's sadistic grin and chuckled shortly after. "You should know me by now, sweetheart. My purpose in life is to spill the blood of the most powerful fighters I find worthy of fighting."

Vividus rolled her eyes, not impress with his answer. She knew about Hisoka's lunacy, but to join a band of criminals? It's insane! She never expected Hisoka to take such a drastic measure.

"You joined a high-class group of criminals just so you could fight a powerful opponent?" she asked, her glare becoming more intense. "That exact group that massacred my group to steal my brethren's eyes? Hisoka I should slit your throat for just being such an ignorant asshole."

"You need me." Hisoka declared, keeping a straight face as he watched the woman quiver in front of him. Using her first name for once. "You know you do."

While still pressing the blade extremely close to his neck. She leaned in close as her scarlet eyes staring into his golden ones. The memories of her family started to flood her mind and thought back on how the troupe made her suffer. How they took her family away from her.

To be honest, she felt a bit betrayed that Hisoka kept that from her. If not for him, she would never have regained her memories back. All of her hard work started because of Him.

Hell, it baffles her how she almost slept with this man.

Vividus resented how unpredictable he has become in her life. Not knowing whose side he is on within all of this madness. So many questions started running through her mind about the man in front of her. What is he trying to achieve?

"Hisoka, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

Hisoka just stared deep into Vividus's eyes. He meant what he said earlier about how her eyes were just breathtaking to him. However, it's not the time for that. Especially now when he's in a life and death situation.

"It's simple really," He finally spoke out, smirking at Vividus.

> **"I can help you take down the spiders."**


	16. Hunters × Exam

> **C H A P T E R SI X T E E N**

Ever since that night with Hisoka (when she decided to spare his life), Vividus hasn't seen him for a while. Whenever the Jester would try and talk to her, she refuses to give him the time of day. The bitterness was still there. Vividus wasn't sure when she's going to forgive the Jester for doing what he did.

In all honesty, it probably won't happen for a while.

To help distract herself from Hisoka, she thought about taking Netero's suggestion to take the Hunters Exam. Considering she was having a hard time finding Kurapika. Especially since it's been three tough years of finding her brother. When she heard the perks of obtaining a Hunters License, she thought that perhaps getting it to find her brother won't be so bad.

While Vividus was here to get her license, she called Killua in hopes that he wanted to join her. She figured her precious Zoldyck child might be interested in taking this exam to help with his...job.

When she called him, the woman was surprised to hear Killua accept her offer in a heartbeat.

Taking a look around, Vividus would feel a small sigh escape her lips. Adjusting her hat that's keeping the majority of her platinum locks in place, she didn't realize wearing a hat would be this annoying.

She is wearing her usual outfit that involves her red jacket, tight black turtleneck top and grey leggings. The only difference was the hat she was wearing to keep her hair up. As well as her badge number: 100 placed on her left side of her jacket.

Vividus knew having her hair down may draw unwanted attention, so she decided to conceal herself somehow. Taking out a piece of bungee gum, she would pop it into her mouth and start chewing, trying to get rid of this anxiety that's building up in her stomach.

"Onee-chan, you alright?" asked a familiar voice, tugging on the hem of her jacket.

She smiled at Killua reassuringly.

"I'm alright Kiddo," she replied, lightly ruffling the child's hair, "I'm surprised that you decided to join me. What's happening on your end?"

Killua clicked his tongue in annoyance. "My family was over-bearing again. So when you called about taking the exam: it was a good excuse to leave for a while."

Vividus frowns at his statement, "Really?"

Killua nodded, "Yeah, it was annoying. Plus considering I haven't seen you in three years, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to spend time with you!"

Chuckling softly, she would pat the Killua's hair again: which only resulted in him pouting. "Oi don't do that! I'm not a kid anymore!"

Vividus rolled her eyes playfully, laughing softly towards his comment.

"Killua, you'll always be my sweet kiddo at heart~."

As soon as Vividus complimented Killua, she suddenly felt a deathly presence nearby. She blinked a few times, looking around to find the source of it. Vividus realized that it was coming from a tall man with needles embedded into his body. She raised an eyebrow as she felt confused by his sudden hostility.

' _Whats twitchy's problem?'_

After feeling Killua punch her playful, she looked down at the white-haired boy, who gagged on how cheesy her previous comment was.

"That's cheesy, even for you, Onee-chan."

Vividus was about to say something. Until a chubby man with the number sixteen on his chest stood in front of them.

"Hey! You guys must be new here!"

Blinking a few times, both Killua and Vividus stared at the man in disbelief.

"What do you want, old man?" Killua asked cheerfully, leaning on his skateboard.

"My name is Tonpa, I just wanted to greet you both and wish you both good luck!" He exclaimed, smiling towards the two. Soon he reached into his satchel and took out two orange pop cans.

"Here! I thought maybe you two might be thirsty, think of this as a little something to mark our acquaintance."

Vividus narrowed her eyes, not liking the evil glint in his eyes. "I'll pass."

"Come on, Onee-chan~, I'm sure it's harmless!" Killua exclaimed, taking the drink from the man's hand. "Thank you for the drink!"

The man smiled at Killua and then glanced over at Vividus. "You should be more like this kid."

Rolling her eyes, she clicked her tongue and returned the glare. However, her stare was more intimidating. Feeling how dark her stare was, Tonpa shrivelled back and flinched.

"Just get out of my sight." She said, waving him away.

With that, the man nodded his head and scurried away: not wanting to be in Vividus's presence anymore.

Killua giggled at what he just saw, raising an eyebrow: he nudged her arm. "What was that all about?"

Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms. Glaring at the man who was now talking to a bunch of other contestants. "I don't trust him. He reeks of trouble. He probably drugged the drinks or something."

Killua popped open the can and chugged the pop as quickly as possible. As his lips licked from the after taste, he laughed. "Oh yeah, he did spike the drinks, he put laxatives in it, to be exact."

Vividus felt a sweatdrop forming on her forehead. "Why would you drink it?"

"I'm thirsty" Killua grinned, giving a playful wink to the woman. "Besides, I drank worse."

Vividus shuddered at that thought alone: remembering this kid is an assassin. "Ah, I forgot about that for a moment."

Killua giggled once more, soon lifting the skateboard up in his hand. "I'm gonna go bug Tonpa-san for some more drinks! I'll be back."

"Alrighty, see you later," said Vividus, waving at Killua.

With that, the Zoldyck prodigy was gone.

Chewing her gun, Vividus looked around to scan her surroundings. Seeing how there are many different characters here. She was surprised at how many are here to take the exam.

One by one, she started to look at different numbers placed on people's chests. Tilting her head to the side, Vividus wondered if they had a reason for giving all the applicants numbers. Taking a closer look at each badge, she felt it would be best to remember the faces and badge numbers.

Only a few individuals have so far seemed to be of interest to her.

The first man that seemed to catch her eye was a bald male with a black outfit. Kinda looks like a ninja of some sort that has the number 294. A cute small woman wearing a pink top with a large yellow hat that has number 246. A large tall man with a green top and bottom with a bunch of needles impaled into his skin that has the number 301.

Since he entered the room, Vividus could tell the twitchy wouldn't stop staring at her. His ren spiked every time she showed some affection towards Killua. This prompted other people to step away from him due to his intent to kill.

He keeps looking straight at her without intending to look away. He wants to make it clear to her that he desires to kill her, but she wasn't moved by it. Instead, she playfully winks at him, just to irritate him more.

She watched the twitchy man glance at her one more time. Then decided to walk away and move elsewhere then.

 _'I win.'_ Vividus thought, giggling to herself.

Relaxing for a moment, the girl was beginning to think about how nice it was to be out here by herself. Her mind was about to wonder...until it was rudely interrupted by the sounds of screams.

Looking over to see where it was coming from, she saw a man that looked like he was wearing a cape and a gladiator-like outfit. Raising his arm up in the air and watching it slowly disappear. As his arm disintegrated: it turned into petals.

"Oh, how peculiar..." she heard a familiar voice said.

Vividus's eyes widen in shock. Not liking where that voice is coming from. _'No way.'_

"His arms seem to have become flower petals." The voice explained, waving his arms out. "No smoke and mirrors here~."

 _'Why is he here?!'_ Vividus screamed, feeling herself mentally slamming her head against the wall.

"Do take care. When you bump into someone, you really should apologize."

The moment he said those words, a familiar pair of Golden hues lifted his gaze up from his victim. Looking past the crowd and stared deep into Vividus's hazel-grey eyes. She saw the Jester give her a broad smile, slowly starting to make his way towards her. Many people move out of his way, not wanting to end up like the gladiator.

With every step he took, she felt her heartbeat pound against her chest. Reminding her what happened that night between the Kurta survivor and the Jester. She bit her lower lip in annoyance, hating that he's also here to take the hunter's exam.

Considering people didn't want to stay in his path, it was easy for him to approach his favorite toy: he can't seem to get his mind off of her.

Especially after that night.

Stopping in front of Vividus, she watched the Jester hover over her. Hisoka placed an arm above her head and leaned over her small figure. Watching his thin lips turn into a sadistic smile.

"Hello sweetheart~." The man cooed.

"Hisoka." She hissed, glaring up towards the man.

"Fancy seeing you here," The man replied, "I wouldn't have thought you would be into this sort of thing!"

Looking away from the Jester, she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "I should be asking you that."

Hisoka chuckled darkly, "I'm full of surprises, my little doe."

She blew a bubble, hearing it pop. "Yeah, well, leave me alone. I'm still mad at you."

Vividus was about to walk away from Hisoka until she felt him grab onto her wrist. "Come now, I'm sure you can forgive me for my antics the other day~."

"After that stunt, you pulled?" Vividus glared, ripping her wrist away from his grip. "Not a chance."

Hisoka grinned; he sauntered his way behind the Kurta woman. Dropping his head towards the side of her ear whispering.

"After hearing the sweet sound flowing from your lips? I am inclined to disagree."

Hearing him utter those words, Vividus began to flush. Vividus refusing to give the reaction Hisoka wanted, she quickly tilted her hat down to cover parts of her face.

Vividus was fuming. She resented how Hisoka was so selfish and being perverted in such a public setting. Out of all of the things that pleasured him that night, that's the one that stood out to him? The one he actually cared about?

She cannot believe this man said such vulgar words in public, especially with no shame.

Vividus was about to reply back to the man until she heard a loud bell echo through the tunnel. The tunnel began to shake all around them and she saw a wall rise up revealing an interesting man with curly purple hair.

Now, the spotlight was on him.

"I apologize for the delay," he said. "The Hunter application period is over. The Hunter Examination will now begin!"

Having just heard Hisoka's last sentence, everyone was now on guard. Bracing themselves for what was next. Vividus felt the atmosphere in the room suddenly change dramatically. She was deeply relieved that the purple-haired man appeared.

Pushing Hisoka out of her mind: Vividus was getting excited about what the next step is going to be. She's one step closer to finding Kurapika.

"One final warning," he said, "If you lack luck or skill, you could very well end up severely injured or even **die.** "

After giving a final warning for people to leave, Vividus looked around her to see no one wanted to leave. The Examiner nodded his head, taking note that no one left.

"Very well. All 404 applicants will participate in Phase One. Everyone, please follow me."

With that, Vividus saw the Purple-haired man moving forward, followed by everyone behind him. As she followed after Him, Hisoka decided to walk by her side. No words were exchanged, but one thing was for sure:

The Jester couldn't keep his eyes off Vividus.

 _'Urgh, Killua, where are you Kiddo?'_ Vividus wined to herself, _'You just had to abandon me when I needed you most!'_

After whining to herself, she looked up to see the crowd in front of her and started to jog forward: which suddenly turned into running. Blinking a few times, she felt her legs starting to pick up the pace. Wondering what is suddenly happening.

Glancing up, Hisoka was no longer staring at Vividus, but smiling at the purple-haired man.

"I neglected to introduce myself," Satotz said, "I am Satotz, the Phase One examiner. I shall lead you into Phase Two."

"Phase two?" The bald ninja exclaimed. "What about Phase one?"

Hearing him yell that, it finally clicked to Vividus. Her eyes widened as she was surprised to see what was happening. As if something shifted inside her mind, she couldn't help but to feel even more excited than she was before.

"This, what else?" Satotz replied, "I told you the exam has begun, did I not? All you need to do is keep up with me. Simple now?"

Watching him avert his attention away from the applicant, he started to hum to himself and said his final instructions.

"Where we're going, when we'll get there I cannot say. To find out..." He trailed off a bit, leaving a feeling of anticipation:

_"Just follow, follow, follow."_

Hearing Satotz's final instructions, Vividus decided it would be best to ignore her differences with Hisoka for now. Trying her best to focus, Vividus tried to encourage herself and tell herself she's not here for the Jester. She's here to obtain her Hunters Licence to help find Kurapika.

Focusing on this exam is now her main priority.

After fighting in Heavens Arena for so long: this is something she's going to enjoy. Instead of facing opponents over and over again, she felt like this exam was going to make a difference in her life in so many different ways.

She wasn't sure why, but she felt something big was about to happen.

 _I must thank Netero-san for suggesting this exam to me.'_ She thought to herself.

Meanwhile, with Hisoka, he averted his gaze away from the Instructor and Hisoka glanced over to Vividus. Feeling her sudden change of Aura. He was shocked to see a wide grin spread across her lips. This is a different side of her that he was not expecting to witness at all. The look of determination and resolve is making the Jester feel more exhilarated.

Realizing that he's going to learn more about his crimson flower, this caused Hisoka to grin even more. Knowing that this exam is going to be nothing but entertaining for him. Excited to know that more people he's going to meet here will become his new toys.

As both the Kurta woman and the Jester advanced forward together:

Phase One of the exam has just begun.


	17. Phase × One

> **C H A P T E R S E V E N T E E N**

**Taking a look around her surroundings,**

the Kurta woman could see contestants starting to drop out one by one. While many people can handle the endurance test with ease, others are having a hard time keeping up.

The training with Biscuit seemed to have paid off for Vividus. So far, this has been a breeze. Once the exams are over, she will have to write a thank you letter to her master for the training.

"Hey, kid! You should show some respect to the Hunter Exam!" yelled a loud voice from behind him.

Looking back, she saw a man holding a suitcase with a blue suit and glasses, yelling at Killua. The boy blinked a few times, confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked innocently.

The guy with glasses pointed at the skateboard. "Why are you using a skateboard?! That's cheating!"

"How?" Killua asked.

"Because it's an endurance test!"

Vividus rolled her eyes, about to slow down and defend Killua. However, another voice supported him.

"No, it isn't."

Looking further back, she can see a boy with tall, spikey black hair. Wearing a green jacket and shorts with a yellow backpack and a fishing rod. He has bright hazel-brown eyes and his badge number is "405".

"Gon, what are you saying?!" the man exclaimed.

"The examiner only told us to follow him." The boy named Gon explained. "He said nothing about how he wants us to follow him. So I think him using his skateboard is ok."

Watching Killua's interest in the boy, he slowed down his pace and started talking to him. "Hey, how old are you?"

"I'm twelve!" He chirped.

Killua stared at him with a curious look on his face. He saw how Gon caught his attention. He stopped riding his skateboard and decided to run alongside the boy. "I guess I'll run, too."

Gon's eyes glistened in admiration. "Wow! That was amazing!"

Killua grinned, "I'm Killua."

"I'm Gon!"

Chuckling softly to herself, she would turn her attention back towards Satotz. Vividus felt a small nudge on her arm. Looking up to see Hisoka smirking at her, her positivity faded.

"What?"

"Just wondering why you're suddenly smiling," the man replied, grinning, which caused her to roll her eyes.

"Mind your own business, Hisoka."

The Jester placed his hand over his chest, feeling 'hurt' by her distaste. "So cruel, Vivi-chan."

Rolling her eyes, she would look over and see Twitchy running alongside Hisoka. Raising an eyebrow, she would look at them. _'Since when did they become so close?'_

Vividus decided that she no longer wanted to be near Twitchy or Hisoka. Decided to sprint forward until she was behind Satotz. As she left Hisoka behind.

Surprisingly, he did not speak. Vividus exhaled in relief, able to get away from him for a little while.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Four hours have passed since the exam has started. Looking back behind her, she can see that she was the closest one to the Examiner so far. Grinning to herself, she decided to talk to the man named Satotz. Jumping up the stairs, she caught up to him and paced herself. Vividus felt proud of herself for being able to keep up with him.

"Hello Satotz-san, how are you?"

He glanced over at Vividus, surprised to see a rookie trailing him. "I'm impressed number one-hundred. It's not often I get to see someone catch up to me."

She rolled her eyes, "I'll take it as a compliment."

Satotz laughed a bit and nodded while looking toward the front. He didn't say much at first. After a moment of silence, he looked at Vividus with a curious gleam in his eyes.

"I must say Netero-san will be delighted to see that you decided to take the exam."

Vividus's eyes light up at the mention of the old man's name. "Oh? He said something about me?"

Satotz nodded, "Of course, he told me to be on the lookout for someone like you. If I'm mistaken, your name is Vividus correct?"

"Correct," She replied, "I assume he talked about my battles at Heavens Arena?"

"He did mention that, but more so he just mentioned how fond he was of you." Satotz said, chuckling to himself and soon noticed her hat, "Is it because of your fame that you cover your face with that hat?"

"For the most part, yes." She admitted, gazing up at her hat, "I considered cutting it, but didn't have the courage to do so. So I just wore the hat instead."

Satotz nodded his head. Looking forward once more before talking again.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you taking the exam?" Satotz queried, "Knowing your status, you're already a formidable fighter and financially set. Yet here you are, what's your purpose?"

Looking forward, Vividus wasn't sure what to say at first. She was caught off guard by the sudden question, "I have a couple of goals in mind." She began, "But of all those goals, I'm looking for my brother."

Satotz raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

She nodded, "I'm sure you already know who I am since Netero-san already talked to you about me." Vividus explained, "I'm hoping that if I can get my license... I'm able to have an easier time finding him."

Nodding his head in understanding, Satotz would glance back behind him. Looking through the crowd as he can see a certain blonde male with long hair and grey eyes. Soon he reverted his attention back to Vividus, who was still looking forward.

He smiled a bit and chuckled once more as Satotz found her situation a bit amusing. "That is indeed a good goal. Your target may be closer than you think."

Vividus chuckled lightly, raising an eyebrow at the man. "You really think so?"

Satotz nodded his head, returning a faint smile on his face. "I know so."

Nodding her head in understanding, she looked up to see the light at the end of the tunnel. With Satotz at the top of the entranceway, she jumped past him to land in front of him.

Looking back at a familiar pair of boys who were following her, she was shocked to see how in sync they were when they passed Satotz. Their laughter filled her ears as they finally reached the top. Crossing her arms over her chest, she couldn't help but smile.

"I won!" Gon shouted, punching his fist into the air.

"What are you talking about? I was faster!" Killua exclaimed, glaring at Gon playfully.

Both Vividus and Satotz watched the two children bicker at each other, trying to figure out who won the race. As the two children turned their attention to Satotz, they started to question him about who won the race.

Satotz laughed as he replied to the children's questions. "I believe you crossed the finish line together." He raised his hand, pointing at Vividus. "However, to be honest, it was she who crossed the finish line first."

Killua and Gon stared at the man in disbelief. Seeing what he was pointing to, they followed his direction. Only to see Vividus laugh nervously.

"H-Hey Kiddo."

At first, there was an awkward silence. But shortly after, Killua exclaimed and pointed at Vividus. Not happy at all that she had won.

"Onee-chan?! You won?!"

Shaking her head, she would wave her arms in defence. "What do you mean?! I was just running alongside Mr. Satotz!"

Killua ran up to Vividus and poked her stomach. "You still made it up here first! Gah! I should have known better."

She laughed at Killua's remark and ruffled his hair in return. Hearing him groan in annoyance, "Stop it!"

Rolling her eyes, she would place her hands on her hips as she watched the boy in green approach the two. He reached out his hand towards Vividus.

"Hello! My name is Gon, what's your name?"

Nodding her head, Vividus returned the handshake-smiling, warmly welcoming Killua's new friend. "Vividus."

Gon smiled widely, giving her a toothy grin. He looked over at Vividus and pointed at her. "Is she your older sister, Killua?"

The white-haired boy shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist and pouting. "No, but I wish she were. I just call her Onee-chan because I really like her that much."

The boy in the green eyes was looking between the two. "Woah, that's amazing! Vividus, would you mind if I called you Vivi-nee?"

Blinking a few times, she looked at Gon with a confused expression on her face. At first, she was going to say no. But...

How can you say no to a face like Gon's?

Nodding her head, she would reach out and ruffle the kid's hair. Gon laughed a bit by her sudden touch. "Of course. I don't mind."

Being aware of how the others were catching up to the doorway, she decided to rest. She gently stepped away from Killua and smiled softly towards him.

"Listen, kiddos, I'm going to rest over there. Let me know if you need anything."

The boys gave her a thumbs up, and decided to take a seat close to the entryway. During that time, Vividus walked a bit further away from the entrance. Giving herself a small breather. Considering Satotz didn't say they have reached the end: she figured there is still a long way to go.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

"Ah, my crimson flower, you didn't even break a sweat." She heard the Jester coo.

Looking up, she saw Hisoka and the twitchy man approaching her. "Nothing that I can't handle."

The Jester simply grinned at the woman, crossing his arms over his chest. Looking at Twitchy, she tilts her head to the side, deciding to chat with applicant '301'.

"Hello," she said, standing beside the tall green man.

Looking down, she saw the man's eyebrows rise a bit. His autotuned voice spoke in a raspy tone. "What?" he asked.

Vividus asked, "What's your name?"

"Gittarackur." He answered monotonously.

"Hm...I think I'd better call you Twitchy." She commented, snickering in the process.

Hisoka snickered to himself when he heard Gittarackur's nickname. While the tall green man glared down at her. Despite his glare, it didn't exactly bother her. Vividus was in the mood to pester someone and he happened to be her target. She knew that if she talked to Hisoka, he would talk non-stop.

"My, my, so chatty Vivi-chan." Hisoka purred, showing a faint frown. "How come you're not like that with me~?"

She stared at him and raised an eyebrow before turning her head away. "Because screw you Hisoka, that's why."

Glancing towards Gittarackur, she saw a small smirk tugging at the edge of his lips. Vividus blinked a few times, a little bit surprised by his expression. _'Huh, so he does have a sense of humour.'_ She thought to herself, now grinning.

Hearing an immediate commotion, everyone looked to see what was happening. As Satotz was about to lead everyone to the second phase, someone accused him of being a fake. Saying he will lead everyone to their deaths, and how the dead man was the real Examiner.

A lot of people started to agree with the injured man. Talking amongst one another saying how Satotz moved was weird and not human-like. While others just stayed back and watched the scene unfold.

Looking at Hisoka, Vividus saw his hand shift. Seeing him take out a couple of cards and apply nen. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head in disapproval knowing what he was going to do next.

However, she was also curious to see how this situation would unfold.

Watching the Jester throw his cards towards Satotz and the injured man. For the injured man, the wounded male fell backwards: dying instantly the moment the cards embedded themselves into his body. Meanwhile, she looked back at Satoz only to see that he caught all of Hisoka's cards with ease.

Everyone turned their attention to Hisoka, who began to shuffle his cards in his hands, "I see," he said, grinning to himself, "You're the real one."

Vividus noticed the nervous looks on the participants' faces. Some were not surprised, while others believed Satotz was fake. The Kurta woman turned back to Hisoka and listened to him explain why he attacked Satotz.

"Examiners are Hunters, selected by the committee to perform this duty without pay." He placed his cards back in his pocket. "Any hunter, bearing the title we seek, would have been able to block that attack."

Looking back at Satotz, Vividus saw him close his eyes and sighed. "I shall take that as a compliment. However, should you attack me again for any reason: I will report you for turning on an examiner. Which you will be immediately disqualified."

He stared at Hisoka, raising an eyebrow. "Are we clear?"

Hisoka nodded in agreement, smirking. "Sure."

After that point, Satotz started to explain the harsh reality that from this point forward. The test will now become a lot harder than it was earlier. He went into detail about how the swamp not only consists of new monsters but creatures that will do anything to distract from the test. To make matters worse: losing sight of him in the Numere Wetlands fog will result in not only making it to the exam's second phase but also to their deaths.

"Why are you so quiet?" Hisoka asked, looking at the small figure. "Whatever happened to the desire to chat with Gittarackur?"

Vividus stared at the tall green man, whose eyes seemed off in the distance, then back at Hisoka. She shrugged as she turned away, leaving the conversation short. "Didn't feel like talking anymore."

"Oh? Then why don't you and I have a nice chat? I miss talking to you~."

"No thanks."

"Vivi-chan-"

"Pass."

With that, Satotz started to run again, leading everyone to the best of his ability to the Second phase. While everyone started to run again through the thick fog of the wastelands, Vividus decided to keep her distance from Hisoka.

While she maintained her distance, she started to feel the intent to kill is in the air. She wasn't sure where it was coming from. The group of gang members was eyeing Hisoka, or Hisoka himself, getting pumped to kill these men.

In any case, it was none of her business.

After that, the fog got thicker and left Hisoka and the gang vanishing from her sight.

_'Idiots,'_ Vividus thought to herself, _'I can't believe they're planning to take him out during the exam. Can't they see there are other things to worry about?'_

Hearing sudden screams of terror, Vividus observed that mother nature started to do her job by preying on the weak. She clicked her tongue in irritation at how reckless people can be.

Taking a closer look around, she was surprised to see none other than Gittarackur still running beside her. Vividus was amazed to see him so composed, but when the tall man saw her staring at him, he just stared back for a brief moment, soon deciding to run ahead.

Rolling her eyes, Vividus starts to scan her surroundings, her smirk soon turns into a frown. Realizing that Gon and Killua are no longer in her line of view. Weirdly enough, she doesn't even hear the loud glasses guy with the blue suit.

_'I hope they are okay.'_ Vividus thought to herself. _'Should I look for them? What happens if they get hurt?'_

Biting her lower lip, many thoughts starting to run through her mind about what happened to them. Vividus understands that this is an exam: however, she doesn't want to see her munchkins getting hurt.

Then it dawns on her.

_'What happens if they encountered Hisoka?'_

At that moment, she felt a small tug on her jacket. Looking down, she saw a familiar white-haired boy running alongside her.

"Killua?" She said, surprised: not seeing the boy in green. "Where's Gon?"

Killua frowned, shaking his head. "I don't know. I lost sight of him in the fog."

Vividus's eyes widen in shock. Surprised that even Killua managed to lose his new friend. Slowing her pace, turned herself around.

"I'm going to find Gon. I'll catch up with you later."

Killua frowned back at Vividus, not liking where this is going. "But what happens if you get lost in the fog?"

Shaking her head, she would give the Zoldyck prodigy a thumbs up. Giving him a reassuring smile.

"It's me, remember? I promise I'll be back!"

Before Killua could protest, the Kurta woman had vanished out of sight, leaving him alone with the rest of the applicants. He let out a sigh and ran his hands through his hair.

> **_'Be careful...Onee-chan.'_ **


	18. Reunited

> **C H A P T E R E I G H T E E N**

**Gon did his best.**

He tried his best to go up against Hisoka. However, he wasn't able to land any more attacks than the surprise attack to protect Leorio.

After swinging his fishing pole around, Hisoka started overwhelming him. Every time he thinks he gets a strike against the Jester: he disappears in a cloud of smoke, keeping appearing behind him over and over again.

As Hisoka stood up, Gon took this opportunity and quickly emerged behind him. He was getting ready to land a final blow on Fuschia-haired man, but Hisoka intercepted him and held Gon by his neck.

"How wonderful! ", Hisoka purred, feeling his body stirring up as he enjoyed Gon’s look of determination, "I truly love that look."

Scratching on Hisoka's arm, Gon could feel the air escaping his lungs. The Jester's grip was so firm: he felt like he was about to pass out. In the child’s mind, he thought this was it: he was going to die.

But then something happened.

Before Hisoka attempted to make another move, a flash of red suddenly appeared before him.

Feeling someone kicking his arm, he winced in pain and was forced to let go of Gon. Looking down, he saw his victim being swept away from the Jester's grasp. The moment Gon fell into their arms, they took the child into her arms and fled.

Hisoka growled, not impressed at seeing that the familiar woman was trying to steal the child away from him. Reaching his arm out, he tried to grab a hold of them. Refusing his prey to escape his grap.

But unfortunately for the Jester, instead of hitting her face as he wanted, he instead knocked the hat off her head. Watching the woman's platinum blonde locks fly all over the place.

"Vivi-nee..." Gon said weakly, as he struggled to catch his breath. “Y-You’re here?”

“Indeed,” She replied, giving him a small smile, “I was worried when you were not with Killua, so I decided to check up on you. Good thing I did.”

Gently placing him down and watching him try to catch his breath. As Vividus rubbed his pack in comfort, she glanced at the Jester and glared back at him. Trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Vivi-chan," Hisoka hissed, "What are you doing? You're taking my prey away from me!"

The Kurta woman rolled her eyes at this comment, "Are you blind, Hisoka?! You were literally choking Gon to death!"

"He's fine," he said, his arms crossed over his chest.

"He was passing out!"

Looking down, Vividus saw Gon smiling weakly at her. Giving her a reassuring look. "Vivi-nee, I'm going to be fine. Thank you for saving me."

He stood up slowly, despite taking a beating. Vividus was impressed by how he handled that for so long. She wasn’t sure how to describe it...maybe a glint in him that screams determination, maybe courage perhaps?

Hisoka took notice, grinning from hearing to ear. Walking over to Vividus and Gon. He would kneel down to Gon's level. Very pleased with the look on his face.

"Do not fear, I won't kill your friend." Hisoka explained, "He passed."

Gon stared at Hisoka, confused by his statement. "You also pass. Grow up and become a fine hunter."

After complimenting the boy in green, he averted his gaze towards the Kurta woman. Frowning slightly towards her. "As much as I value you, Vividus," Hisoka said, catching the woman off guard when she heard him using her regular name. "Next time, don't interfere with my battles when I'm hunting~. You will pay for this later."

Rolling her eyes, she stood up and put her hands on her hips. Looking at Hisoka negatively. "Not if someone's life is on the line, especially if it is someone I like."

Hearing a voice call out, he took his walkie-talkie out of his pocket. He heard the voice saying they are getting close to the second phase. Remarkably, he replied back and turned his attention back to Gon and Vividus.

"But that didn't stop you from protecting the others earlier~" Hisoka teased as he referred to the gang. He walks over to Leorio's passed out body. Throwing him over his shoulder.

"That's different," Vividus replied, "They had it coming."

The Jester looked back at Gon, "I'll take your friend back to the site; Vivi-chan will show you the way back, won't you, my little doe?"

In response, Vividus clicked her tongue, causing the Jester to chuckle softly. Meanwhile, Gon simply nodded his head. Weirdly, he was in awe for some reason. He was at a loss for words.

Taking noticed, Vividus glanced down only to see Gon eyeing Hisoka’s movements. Not once he took his attention away from Hisoka. She could tell that the Jester managed to leave an impression on the young lad. With the look in his eyes, he can definitely see that Hisoka is now Gon’s new rival.

She sighed, then patted the back of Gon's back. "Are you ok?"

Gon nodded, "Y-Yeah..."

Nodding her head, she let Gon take a breather and take in what just happen. In a way, Vividus felt a little bit bad for interfering with their battle. But she wasn't sure what the results were going to be if she hadn't interfered. If she was being honest with herself, Vividus was a bit worried about Hisoka's threat.

_'No...I shouldn’t worry about him.'_ Vividus thought to herself, trying to comfort herself.

As they looked around them, both applicants noticed that the fog was starting to lift. Taking this note, the woman and the child were about to leave, until someone called out Gon's name.

"Gon! Are you alright?!"

Gon looked back, seeing who was calling out for him. For the boy in green, he smiled brightly to see his friend safe and sound. He started to weakly wave towards the voice.

"Kurapika!"

The moment she heard that name, time suddenly stopped around Vividus.

Looking at the direction Gon was looking at, she saw the figure approaching them emerging from the fog. Time around her was moving in slow motion. Seeing a familiar face approaching the two. Her hazel-grey eyes widened in shock to see a little blonde boy that she adored and loved so much was approaching the two.

Realizing that the boy she remembers is no longer little, he was now all grown up. The young teenager before her had blonde hair and grey eyes. His facial features were mature: yet innocent. Despite the person being a male, they had a striking resemblance of her late mother.

Realizing who it was, tears started to flow down her cheeks. Her baby brother, whom she had been searching for all these years, stood in front of her.

Her heart felt heavy, her body became trembling as she stared in shock. Gon tugged on her red jacket, trying to gain her attention and see if she is okay. However, her eyes stayed on him as she stared blindly in astonishment.

Satotz's voice echoed as she remembered their earlier conversation. _"Your target is closer than you think."_

Vividus watched the teenager slowly approach her. She noticed he was shaking and he cupped her cheeks as he lifted the hand from his side. She could tell he was shaking because he looked unsure if she was real or not.

Breaking the silence, Vividus finally had the courage to say what she wanted to say.

"K-Kura-chan?" Vividus asked softly, "I-Is that you?"

**~.:[Kurapika]:.~**

[Earlier that day]

* * *

_"Is that your reasoning for becoming a hunter?" Leorio asked, running alongside me as we ran through Phase one. "To also hunt down the Phantom Troupe?"_

_I stared forward, remembering the sight of my fallen clan members. "They took everything from me, Leorio." I replied. "They took every single eye from my brethren's corpses. I can still hear their darkened eyes crying out in anguish."_

_After uttering that statement, I bit my lower lip. Frowning as I thought about my goal, I also thought about my older sister._

_I remember finding my clan in a horrible state: I thought they must've killed my sister. However, her body had never been found. I searched for her for years, Leorio. I found nothing about her...I assumed she was dead like the rest."_

_I looked up, only to see Leorio with a sad expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Kurapika...it sounded like your sister was a great sibling."_

_A faint smiled appeared on my lips, remembering the fondest memories I had of her. "Leorio, she taught me everything she could. If it wasn't for her: I wouldn't have been able to protect myself. It was because of her I became a formidable fighter. She meant everything to me."_

_Feeling tears flowing, I shook my head. Not wanting to appear weak in front of Leorio. Pushing back any negative thoughts: I did my best to keep my composer._

_I will do whatever I can to discover what happened to Vividus. I promised myself I would capture the Phantom Troupe and regain the eyes of my clan no matter what the cost. Even if it's the last thing I do."_

* * *

The Blonde teenager was frozen in place. He wasn't sure how to respond. He was just as shocked as she was. Examining the women before him, everything about her was so familiar. Her platinum blonde hair, her hazel-grey eyes, and the warm look on her face. The woman before me was no longer the rambunctious teenager he knew and loved. But now a bit older, more mature and stunning.

Realizing it was his elder sister, the Kurta male was now flooded with emotions.

Kurapika wasn't sure how to react to seeing his older sister. Looking back on their conversation, Leorio meant everything he said about avenging his clan and capturing the Phantom Troupe. Despite these two goals, he also spent these years trying to find out what had happened to his beloved sister.

After years of searching, he lost hope because he assumed she got caught and died: just like everyone else.

She is right in front of him, alive in the flesh.

Slowly he walked towards the figure, standing close to the woman. He stared deeply into her hazel-grey eyes that he hasn't seen for so long. He cupped her cheek, wanting to be sure that the woman before him was real.

"Kura-chan?" the woman replied, breath taken back by his sudden approach. "Is that you?"

The nickname tugged at his heartstrings and his mind was running crazy. He wasn't sure how to respond to anything because of how overwhelming this moment is. He wasn't sure how to feel because so many emotions are just hitting him at once.

Kurapika was afraid that the moment he touched his sister's face, she would fade, leaving him feeling worse than he did now. However, she didn't fade, this wasn't an illusion.

He glanced at her in awe as her scarlet eyes brightened. Watching her flash like that, a memory flashes in front of him. Remembering his last moments with his sister before they parted ways.

* * *

_Watching my older sister kneel down to my height, I felt her suddenly poking my nose, feeling embarrassed and started to pout. "Come on, do you have to do that before you leave?!"_

_Vividus winked at me sweetly, "Of course I will not be seeing you anytime soon, so I had to!"_

_I could not help but frown when I heard those words. Vividus saw the sudden change and frowned as well. "What's wrong?"_

_Even though Vividus already knows what's on my mind, she wanted me to speak. But I didn't know what to say to her since I was so quiet about her leaving, she thought I wouldn't say a word._

_I couldn't leave her hanging like that, especially after I won't be seeing her for so long. "I'm going to miss you, Onee-chan," as a small lump formed at the back of my throat. "...please don't die."_

_Looking up at my older sister, I saw that she had a shock expression on her face due to how dark my words were. Looking up, my eyes widened in shock to see her scarlet eyes suddenly activated. I didn't sense it out of anger or anything negative: but out of love._

_This was the first time I've ever seen her eyes like this. I'm so used to seeing my parents' eyes light up out of anger or negative emotions. But for Vividus, her eyes are so warm and kind to me._

_I was stunned, I didn't know our scarlet eyes could glisten like that._

_"I promise you," Vividus said, cupping my cheek. "I will come back alive, and once you've passed the test, you and I can travel around the world together someday. I promise."_

* * *

After snapping back to reality, Kurapika looked at the women before him. Giving them a sad smile and nodding his head, "Yeah, it's me".

As soon as Kurapika confirmed that it was indeed him, he felt his body suddenly crash to the ground. As he realized that he was tackle hugged into the ground, his older sister now hovering over the body. Looking up, he saw those familiar hazel-grey eyes suddenly change into those sweet red eyes he remembered from back then.

It was clear she was overwhelmed too, and Kurapika didn't know what to say since he was not prepared for this encounter at all.

"My sweet Kura-chan!" She cried, "I've found you, I can't believe I've found you at last!"

Kurapika froze in place as he wasn't sure when was the last time he was embraced like this. As he stared at his older sister, he couldn't help but return the embrace, letting her cry into his arms. The blonde teenager didn't want to let her go, he didn't want this moment to end as this was something he longed for.

His older sister began to cry more and more as he tried to compose himself. Despite his best efforts, he ended up crying himself as he started to cry along with her. Both Kurta survivors are now drenched in tears.

"No Onee-chan, you’re wrong," He replied weakly, tightening his grip around her "We found each other."

Nodding her head in understanding, Vividus continued to cry into his arms. While she was crying, Kurapika looked up at Gon to see that the boy was also crying as well. His guess was seeing them reunite like this made him emotional as well. The boy was sweet, he didn't want to interrupt their moment at all as he felt this was something they needed.

Kurapika smiled at Gon, mouthing _"Thank you"_ to him.

Gon nodded his head, giving him a tearful smile and gave him a thumbs up in response.

Looking back down, Kurapika looked at his older sister as he had so many questions in his mind. What happened to her? Why is she here? What did happen all those years ago that caused her to disappear? His emotions were so mixed as he felt happy and confused.

However, at the end of the day, his beloved older sister is still alive. She's here, and nothing can take her away from him forever. One thing is for certain, he isn't alone.

> **Not anymore.**


	19. Phase × Two

> **C H A P T E R N I N E T E E N**

**_"Kura-chan, before we go back, I need to talk to you."_ **

_Kurapika looked back as he slowed his pace. Gon looked between Vividus and Kurapika and thought they needed some time to themselves._

_"I'll leave you guys be," Gon said cheerfully, "I'll be over there with Killua!"_

_Nodding their heads, they watched the boy in green head over to Killua, high-fiving each other. While they were talking, Kurapika and Vividus went off to a private area, away from the other applicants._

_"What is it, Onee-chan?" Kurapika asked, his eyes averted._

_Vividus frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Listen, I know you have a lot of questions, but until the exams are over: I think it's safer for us to act as though we don't know each other."_

_Kurapika furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "Why is that? I don't see an issue with us acting like our usual selves."_

_"But I do," sighed the Kurta survivor, "if people found out that we are related to one another, we might become targets. There are a few I trust that know I'm a Kurta survivor...however."_

_Looking past Kurapika, she looked at the Jester leaning against the tree nearby with Gittarackur. Thankfully he didn't notice her staring. Letting out a small sigh, she returned her attention to her brother._

_"Unfortunately, there are others who found out through other circumstances." she said, poking her brother's chest, "But as for you baby brother: they don't know about you yet. So the last thing I want is for you to be put at risk because of me."_

_Kurapika's face looked worried when he heard that fact. "How am I at risk?" he asked. "I'm strong enough to handle myself."_

_"I'm going to be honest with you. You are not strong enough yet to handle certain people here at this exam." She said seriously. "I feel safer this way."_

_Kurapika wanted to protest, but when Vividus looked at him. He shook his head in defeat. Vividus felt terrible, she knew her little brother has so many questions he wants to be answered: but Kurapika is smart enough to see that she was indeed right._

_"You better explain everything to me after this exam is over." Kurapika responded, "I deserve that much at least."_

_Smiling softly, she reached out and touched her brother's shoulder: transforming her serious expression into a reassuring one. "I promise, I'll tell you everything in time."_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

_The Great Stamp_

_Known to be the world's most ferocious pig. They use their large, stout noses to send their enemies flying. Despite their nose to handle all kinds of attacks..._

_They are easy to take down: if you can hit the right spot._

Locking her eyes towards her target, Vividus focused her nen to her feet to add an extra boost to her attack. As she jumped up into the air, she would swing her feet down towards the pig's forehead. Killing it instantly.

"Thanks for the heads up Gon!" Vividus called out, picking up her big.

Gon gave Vividus a toothy grin, giving her a thumbs up. "Anytime, Vividus-nee!"

At that moment, the other applicants managed to catch the wind on how to defeat the Great Stamp. Controlling her nen: she turned her ice weapon back into water and placed it back into her water skin.

As Vividus made her way back to her station, she took a look at how the fellow contestants were roasting their pigs. Feeling a sweatdrop form on her forehead, she let out a small sigh.

_'Are these guys really not putting any thought into this dish?'_ She thought to herself, looking up at the Phase two Examiners: Menchi and Buhara. _'Since they are gourmet hunters...I should probably think outside the box.'_

Looking back at Kurapika and her two munchkins, it seems that they aren't thinking too much about their meals. Looking forward, she also saw Hisoka's food being roasted like everyone else.

She let a small sigh out, took off her jacket, and laced it around her waist. _'Well...time to make my mother proud.'_

She examined the materials in front of her: there were different kinds of knives, vegetables, and ingredients she could use. Thinking carefully about what kind of meal to prepare, she wondered what would impress the two examiners.

_'Hmmm...I think I know what to make!'_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

"Come on?! Is there no one who can satisfy me with their food?!” Menchi yelled, pointing her stick towards the applicants.

After everyone went and presented their dish. So far, no one passed the test. Vividus was finishing up her meal, a part of her wasn't sure if she wanted to present her own. Gon and the loud glasses man (who she found out was named Leorio) failed because they just decorated the pig. She got even more nervous because Kurapika actually put effort into his dish, yet he failed.

Seeing the number of bones piling up behind Menchi and Buhara, the poor Kurta woman wasn't sure if it was worth bringing her food up. Vividus felt like she should just accept her losses.

"Onee-chan, you haven't gone up yet!" Killua exclaimed, chilling by her station. "Your food actually looks pretty good."

Looking down at her dish, she decided to make roasted pork belly. Using the materials she had: she cut up the pig into small pieces and marinated the meat. While it sat for a bit, she then roasted the pork along with the fire. Once it was done, she cut it up into different pieces and added other species to help the meat have some flavour. Using the vegetables present, she also made some caramelized onions and garlic. Sprinkling the top with black sesame seeds.

"I-I don't know," Vividus said to Killua, looking up at the Examiners. "I don't want to seem like I'm showing off. It looks like Menchi is very particular with her taste buds. Buhara will eat everything and anything."

Patting Vividus's back, Killua would grin at the Kurta woman. Giving her a thumbs up, "I've had your cooking before. I'm sure you'll be just fine!"

Rolling her eyes, she would take a deep breath before presenting the food to the gourmet hunters. "I have some extra food in the oven if you want some. Just make sure you share it with the others."

Killua's eyes glisten in excitement, licking his lips as he knows Vividus's food is absolutely worth dying for. "Thank you, Onee-chan!"

Giggling softly, she would move through the crowd with her two plates in her hands. Every time she walked closer and closer to the Examiners, whispers started to echo throughout the area.

Vividus is a famous fighter in Heavens Arena and she ought to be used to this by now, but this kind of attention genuinely made Vividus uncomfortable.

Vividus shook the negative thoughts out of her mind and knew she needed this pass. She'd made it this far: she refuses to fail just because her cooking isn't good. She's prepared meals for other people for years: this shouldn't be a problem.

"Oh? You're the last one I see?" Menchi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vividus nervously nodded her head, placing the two plates down in front of the two Examiners. "Y-Yes, I am."

Eyeing Menchi's movements, she took a closer look at the dish in front of her. Holding her chin in thought. "Tell me, what did you make for us today?"

Blinking a few times, Vividus shift uncomfortably in her spot: but soon started to explain what the meal was. "It's Roasted Pork Belly. I don't want to explain how I made it because it's a long process. However, I can assure you that you'll enjoy this meal. I marinated the meat, roasted it, cut it up into pieces and added vegetables and spices to give it some flavour."

Surprisingly, she saw Menchi smirking, "I'm actually excited to try it. However, the presentation could be a little more appealing. Let's see how it tastes."

Menchi took a fork in her hand and picked up the meat, staring at it for a minute. She smelled the flesh and she seemed to like it. She looked at Buhara, and they nodded at each other before taking a bite.

Every chewing sound Menchi made Vividus nervous. She stared at her intensely, wondering what she was going to say to her.

Watching Menchi smiled, she would show Vividus her stick, seeing a red circle appear. Looking at Buhara, he also had a red circle.

"You pass."

She would stand up and pat Vividus on the shoulder. "Good job. Maybe when you're done with this exam you should really consider becoming a gourmet hunter with us."

Leaving Vividus stunned, she watched Menchi with her hands on her hips as she made her announcement to the rest of the applicants.

"Out of all the applicants, only Number 100 passed the second phase. The rest of you failed. We're done."

With that, everyone started to yell at Menchi.

Feeling the heat, Vividus slowly retreated towards her station where Killua was, leaning against the counter. He had the fork in hand and was eating the food she made. She giggled when she saw him eating her food.

Watching the scene before them, many people were yelling at her how they are here to become a hunter. Not a chief. After the bickering occurred between one of the applicants and Menchi. It turned into a brutal one because all it took was Buhara to slap this guy away from her. Hearing a loud _'thud.'_

The spotlight was on Menchi.

"Let me clear this up," she began, walking down the steps with her weapons in hand. "We frequently venture into dens of ferocious beasts, searching for ingredients. Every Hunter knows some form of martial art."

Watching Menchi's move, her turquoise-haired friend began throwing knives in the air. The blades dancing around. Blinking, Vividus was struck by how cool it looked. Menchi continued talking.

"You are unfocused and unwilling to experiment. Besides one applicant, that alone disqualifies you from becoming hunters!"

Everyone, taking in her statement, was quiet. Vividus noticed Hisoka taking a card out: ready to attack Menchi. Glaring at the Jester, she was ready to defend Menchi when a cheerful voice echoed through the area.

"That being said, it would be excessive to fail every single applicant except for one!"

Staring skyward, Vividus's eyes started to glimmer. A wide grin spread from ear to ear as she heard an elderly man's voice: one she had known for some time.

Seeing a hot air balloon with the Hunter's Association on the side, a figure jumps out. Landing in the middle of the testing ground, he watches a small crater form. Each step he takes from his wooden slipper, he approaches Menchi.

"Who is he?" someone from the crowd asked.

Menchi walked forward towards the old man, starting to explain who he was. "The chairman of the Selection Committee. He's in charge of the Hunter Exam: who is known as Chairman Netero."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

During the second stage, Netero demanded that Menchi give everyone who failed a second chance to redeem themselves, as he found it unfair. After apologizing, Menchi changed the objective of the exam by locating Spider Eagle's eggs in Split Mountain's canyon.

Vividus was the only one who passed, so she didn't have to participate in retrieving the egg, which gave her the chance to relax and watch Kurapika and the others pass with flying colours.

Vividus and the others are now on Netero's airship as it makes its way over to the next location of the third phase. Standing around the area, everyone watched Netero as he was about to make a speech regarding the test so far.

"Allow me to introduce myself to the forty-two remaining applicants." Netero started, "My name is Netero, Chairman of this year's Hunter Exam Selection Committee. Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the final phase."

Hearing him talk, the atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense. Which caused Netero to grin in delight. "I love this tension in the air! So I think I'll stick around for the rest of the trip!" He said, letting out a small laugh.

Looking at the green bean man, he started to speak. "We will reach our destination tomorrow morning, at 8:00 a.m. You'll find dinner waiting in the dining hall. With that being said: you are all welcome to rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted."

After everyone left to do their own thing, Vividus placed her hands in her pockets and followed the crowd out of the gathering hall. As the munchkins ran off to investigate the airship, Vividus, Kurapika and Leorio remained behind.

"Geeze...how do those guys have the energy," Leorio muttered.

"Who knows," Vividus replied, "But that's just what makes them special."

Hearing her little brother chuckle a bit, he glanced at Vividus. "What are you going to do in the meantime?"

"Not sure," Vividus replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I was thinking about getting away from everyone to get some peace and quiet."

Kurapika raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. "Why?"

She was about to reply when she felt a sudden cold shiver run down her spine. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, she knew exactly who was staring her down.

"I just do." She said, patting Kurapika's shoulder. Without Leorio noticing due to him talking to Tonpa, she mouthed to him, _'I'll tell you later.'_

Nodding in agreement, he agreed. "Okay, just make sure you get some sleep, ok?"

Vividus smiled warmly towards Kurapika, saying, "I will." Soon she turned her attention to Leorio, who appeared shaken by Tonpa's comment about the airship possibly being a possible test. 

"Don't listen to him, he's just being a prick and scaring you."

Walking past Leorio and Tonpa, she heard Tonpa call her unkind words. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, she simply shrugged it off considering the stupid man isn’t worth her time. 

As Vividus stepped outside the gathering hall, she began to walk around and explore the ship.

For an airblimp, Vividus was impressed by how massive the ship was. Placing her hands in her pocket. Looking out the window, she saw how beautiful the city was from above.

Looking backwards, she scanned her surroundings to see if anyone was following her. After the cold shiver from earlier, she could tell that Hisoka was staring her down to get her attention.

Seeing that he wasn't around, she felt a bit relieved. _'Maybe it was just my imagination.'_

Looking to the door beside her, Vividus reached out and opened it. Seeing how it was off to the side: she was relieved to feel that she managed to find a room without people around.

She opened the door and saw a familiar figure sitting in the darkroom with multiple decks of cards in front of him. His hands were crossed, a smirk emanating from his face. After realizing that it was Hisoka, Vividus let out an annoyed sigh. She should’ve known he had planned this.

"Oops, it seems that this room is occupied." She said monotonically. "I guess I will go elsewhere and look-"

When Vividus was about to book it out, she felt something attach to her wrist. Looking down, she would quickly use her gyo to see what was happening.

With her eyes widening in shock, she observed a strand of pink nen: tied to Hisoka's finger.

_'Did he seriously just use his Bungee gum on me?'_ Vividus asked herself, feeling her eyes twitch in annoyance.

Hisoka purred. "Where do you think you're going, my crimson flower?"

"Away from you." She replied in a deadpan tone. "Hisoka, let me go."

"Hmmm..." Hisoka hummed thoughtfully, “How about: no.”

Before Vividus could protest, she felt her body suddenly being pulled inside the room. As Hisoka used his other hand, he used bungee gum to close the door shut.

Suddenly feeling herself fly across the room, Vividus landed on Hisoka's lap. Upon impact: Hisoka's tower of cards flew everywhere.

As she tried to figure out what was happening, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. No matter how hard she tried to escape, his inhuman strength held her in place.

"Hisoka, let me go!" Vividus demanded.

"But Vivi-chan, it has been forever since I've held you like this," Hisoka explained, resting his chin delicately on her neck. "I've wanted to do this since phase one."

Rolling her eyes, she attempted to pull herself away from the man's clutches. "Hisoka, now is not a good time to do this. Plus, I have not fully forgiven you from the other night."

Her body shivered as his lips touched her neck. "My little doe," he said in a husky tone, "This is the perfect time to do this."

Vividus felt Hisoka shift beneath her. Using one arm to keep her in place: Hisoka used the other to place her wrists together. Realizing what was happening, she used her gyo again and saw the wrists bound together by his Bungee gum.

"Hisoka, w-what are you doing?!" Vividus demanded, not liking where this was headed.

"It's simple, really." Hisoka cooed, trailing light kisses along her bare neck and to her ear.

> **_"I'm going to punish you~."_ **


	20. Satisfaction × Punishment

** [Warning: This chapter contains strong sexual content (aka smut) and A LOT OF LEMONY SPICE. Viewer discretion is advised!] **

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y** _

**_"I'm going to punish you~."_ **

Vividus heard those words reverberate through her mind. She looked down at her wrists to see it was tied together with Hisoka's Bungee gum, and as his lips trailed all over her neck, she recognized it was an attempt at seduction.

When Vividus finally realized what type of situation she was in: she panicked.

"Wait, why are you punishing me?! ", Vividus cried out, trying to get out of the grip he had on her.

"Because," he spoke in a low tone, "You interfered with my fight against the boy. Therefore, you will be punished for it."

Flipping the woman around, Hisoka lifted her and then pinned her against the wall. As Vividus saw that perverted grin appears on his lips, she tried everything she could to escape his grasp.

But it was too late, Hisoka used his Bungee Gum to hold her in place.

Vividus was his hostage.

"I swear to god, Hisoka, I will beat your ass when I get out of this!" Vividus swore.

But all he did was simply watch, enchanted by the Kurta woman's struggle. Staring down at Vividus, he licked his lips as he prepared himself to devour the prey.

"Language." Hisoka mocks her, pressing his body against hers.

"Fuck you." The woman glared at Hisoka.

Before Vividus could utter another insult, Hisoka smacked his lips against her own. The moment their lips met, Vividus could feel his hands rest on her hips, sliding them across her thighs, and began fondling her ass.

Vividus groaned in response.

With all her strength, Vividus was doing her best to resist him. But every kiss they exchanged made her mind blank. "S-Stop-" she breathed between kisses. Vividus's chest was heaving, and her body was shaking violently.

“No can do sweetheart,” He replied, taking a deep breath. Gliding his lips across her cheek to her ear, "This is your punishment."

"I did what I had to do," she responded weakly.

"It doesn't matter," he replied, working his way back toward her lips. "You still interfered with my hunt. You took all the fun out of it."

"Hisoka-"

Not giving her a chance to speak anymore, Hisoka hushed her up by kissing her once more. Nibbling her bottom lip, Vividus opened her mouth and felt his tongue lap around her own at a steady, yet painfully slow pace.

Vividus resented this; she hated that her body was betraying her and started turning towards the Jester.

Hisoka finds it hard to contain his feelings of joy as he watches Vividus's eyes gradually turn red as if he had longed to see them for many years. As he tilted up her chin, he felt himself getting lost in those lustful pair of scarlet eyes.

"Are you going to stop fighting this?" Hisoka asked, his golden hues staring into her soul.

"N-no." She stuttered, still feeling some spirit inside her.

Vividus was expecting him to back off, but instead: she saw his smirk turn into a wide, seductive smile.

"Good~."

As he said that simple word, Hisoka wasted no time and started to devour his prey. Vividus could feel his muscular, yet thin hands starting to roam every inch of her body. With each slow and painful touch, the Jester managed to somehow take off the majority of her clothing. Soon leaving her almost bare.

He was overwhelmed by the beauty of the woman's body before him. How soft and delicate her skin was in his hands. He trailed his hand further down and could feel her muscular build. Seeing her goddess-like body against his own is training him mad. Especially when all she’s wearing now is a lacey pair of panties and a strapless bra.

He couldn’t help but lick his lips in delight.

"Vivi-chan, you're making this too easy." Hisoka cooed.

"Shut up." She hissed.

After hissing towards him, she felt her eyes widen in shock when she felt Hisoka unclasped her bra. Watching him hold it in his hand and dangle it infront of her view before throwing it away. Feeling her cheeks growing hot, she wanted to cover her herself and hide her breasts away from Hisoka. However, her arms were still pinned due to his Bungee Gum.

Placing his hand on her breast, he started to fondle her breast while his other hand began to play with the tip of her nipples. With every movement, Vividus could feel nothing but pleasure starting to spark throughout her body. Her plump lips releasing an innocent moan.

"Stunning," He complimented, leaning his head towards her neck and begin to leave love bites all over her.

At this point, Vividus was breathing uncontrollably, feeling her sense of sanity starting to leave her body. Looking down, her eyes connected with his golden hues: her lustful scarlet eyes are staring at him with curiosity.

Trailing his lips down from her neck, the Jester soon leaned his head down and lowered his mouth, taking her nipple deep and starting to suck on it, while using his other hand to massage her other breast.

Arching her back, the sudden pleasure swept her body. Letting out an innocent moan, Vividus set her head back against the wall.

The moment Hisoka heard her virtuous sound, he felt his lower region suddenly grow hard. Once he had released his Bungee Gum from Vividus' legs, he stopped attacking her breasts and lifted the woman off the ground. Wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing her against a wall, he was making sure her hard member was felt through his clothing.

"Do you feel that?" Hisoka grinds firmly at Vividus. "This is what you do to me."

Vividus couldn't believe it. Feeling her legs wrapped around his waist, she could feel Hisoka's arousal being hard as lead. His hard member being pressed in between her thighs. Every movement she made, her hips would roll and feel his hardness stroking against her panties.

Feeling him close, her cheeks started growing hotter, and her entire body is flustered. The poor Kurta woman isn’t sure how much more she can handle this intimate act.

_'I feel so powerless right now,'_ Vividus thought to herself. _'It's as if I have lost control of my body.'_

As if reading her mind, Hisoka started to trail his hand up her thigh and towards her laced panties. Using his fingers to tease her playing with the hem: he watched her scarlet eyes widen in shock.

He moves past her barriers, touching her soft folds lightly with his finger. Making Vividus moan out once more.

"H-Hisoka wait-"

Not listening to her plea, Hisoka sank two fingers deep into Vividus and kissed her simultaneously. As she moaned into the kiss, the poor woman felt like she was going to die of pleasure.

Every time she felt Hisoka's fingers slide in and out of her folds: she could feel her muscles tighten around his fingers. Each movement is causing Vividus’s mind to go blank as all she can think about is the pleasure Hisoka is giving her.

When Hisoka pulled away from the kiss, he watched her chest rise and her breathing become erratic. The Jester could tell her body is now submitting itself to him and he is enjoying every second of it.

"Fuck!" cried out Vividus.

In response to Vividus' cries, Hisoka applied more pressure to her clit, which caused her to release herself.

She threw her head back against the wall as she released herself into Hisoka's hand. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, her panties are now soaked, she felt like her whole body was now on cloud nine.

Taking his hand out of her entrance, the Jester licked Vividus's juices off his hand. Seeing him do this caused the poor, exhausted Kurta woman to pout in embarrassment.

"You're so sweet, Vivi-chan."

By removing his Bungee Gum, Vividus was no longer being held up against the wall. She felt her body slide downward steadily, panting heavily. Her body was trying to recover itself.

"Screw you, Hisoka..." she muttered, staring at the Jester who towered above her. "Are you satisfied?"

Hisoka's eyes glisten, happy to see that Vividus's fighting spirit was still present. The only reason this pleases the Jester is that it increased his desire to break the woman's mind. Her eyes are still showing the lovely lustful colour of scarlet; her body was responding to the simplest touch.

Hisoka purred, "Not quite".

Looking down, he would grab Vividus' wrist: pulling her up as she now stands on her knees. Feeling his grin spread from ear to ear, he put her hand on his throbbing member that throbs against his pants.

Vividus blinked a few times, confused about what he wanted to do at first. But after feeling his hard member twitch against her hand: It finally dawned on her on what Hisoka wants her to do. She glanced up at him, furrowing her brows together as she was clearly nervous for the upcoming act.

"S-Seriously?"

Hisoka gave her a half-smile as he lifted his finger, putting some of her hair behind her ear. "Dead serious."

Breaking eye contact, she brought her attention back to his pants. Biting her lower lip, she started to undo his yellow sash that was tied around his waist. Her knuckles brushed over his hard member: causing him to jerk. Rolling her eyes, she would soon tug on his pants and began pulling it down.

_'Why am I doing with this?'_ Vividus thought to herself, starting to see his V-line becoming visible. She swallowed nervously. _'I’m not even trapped by his Bungee gum anymore...why is my body doing this to me?'_

"Vivi-chan, I’m getting impatient" groaned Hisoka, jerking Vividus out of her thoughts as she felt his fingers run through her platinum-blonde locks.

Raising her head, she glared at Hisoka. Vividus was ready to reply with a snarky comment. However, when she eased his pants down his narrow hips, Hisoka's cock leapt out and hit her cheek in the process.

_'I-It's huge!'_ Vividus thought to herself. Seeing his massive size shattered her confidence. She felt herself swallow nervously as she wasn’t sure if her mouth could handle his length.

Hearing Vividus's involuntary gasp, Hisoka couldn't help but smile, he was delighted by her reaction. "Like what you see, darling?"

Staying silent, she refused to answer his question. As she slowly reached forward, she gently grabbed onto his throbbing member. Using her thumb to brush over the tip of his length.

Realizing that Hisoka stayed quiet for once. She looked up once more towards Hisoka to see that he was observing her: curious to see what the Kurta woman was going to do next.

Looking away from Hisoka, she would pull up her hand to her lips and lick his member while sucking on it. Seeing her action caused Hisoka to moan, and she then put her hand on Hisoka's member while jerking it.

"Oh, Vivi-chan~," Hisoka said, moaning her name.

Feeling her tongue wrap around his member and her soft hands jerking him off at the same time was pure bliss to the Jester. The Kurta woman didn't realize how good she is at this. He could see clearly how lustful her scarlet eyes are, Vividus not realizing herself how much she’s enjoying this.

Not being able to hold back any longer: he pushed his pelvis forward, sending his member down her throat. With every pump, he felt his cock fit perfectly that cute little mouth of hers. The moment he heard a satisfying gag, he looked down only to see the most sexual, lustful expression he has ever seen in his life.

With that expression alone, he no longer wasn’t able to himself. Soon giving one last thrust into Vividus’s mouth and released his seeds. As he held Vividus in place, made sure that she swallowed every last drop of his cum. Pulling out his cock, Hisoka saw a revealing lining of saliva stretching from her lips to the tip of his member.

She coughed a bit from his sudden action, but her lustful expression remained. She was panting heavily like a bitch in heat.

Vividus could not take her gaze off Hisoka. Her body was weak, her breathing was raspy, and her insides were on fire. Vividus couldn't believe that Hisoka was causing such effects on her.

For the first time in her life: she felt weak.

"N-No more Hisoka..." She breathed, "I don't know if I can handle any more of this."

Vividus hoped that he got what he wanted, but all she heard was Hisoka chuckling. "You don't think we're done yet?" Hisoka asked after a moment.

She felt her scarlet eyes widen as Hisoka picked her up and she was now standing up. Spinning her around, Vividus was positioned to bend over.

Her ass was facing Hisoka, and her hands were pressed against the wall. Somehow, Hisoka managed to slip her panties off her body. As he spread her legs apart, he took time to place his hands on her hips: bringing his member dangerously close to her entrance.

"H-Hisoka, no!" Plead Vividus, "Not here!"

Hisoka sniggered. Soon tilting her head to the side and had her head to face him. Vividus feeling his golden predator eyes, staring deep into her crimson ones.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

She stayed quiet, trying to think of the most logical answer to not have his member break her apart. A part of her felt like a setting such as an airship isn't exactly the best way to have sex with someone, it felt unethical for her.

As much as she hated how Hisoka hid the fact that he was part of the Phantom Troupe, but this sexual encounter is making her lose all sense of morality. There was no longer that fighting spirit she had at the beginning, her mind was now occupied by her lust for Hisoka.

"Once we finish this exam...I'll let you fuck me senselessly. I'll even let you do whatever you want.” She begged, feeling humiliated as she said those words, “Just...not here."

Taking in her vulgar words, he could not help but hear himself moan in pleasure. He dug his nails into her thighs, making her yelp in pain.

"The deal's yours."

Vividus sighed in relief. She knew she had just made a deal with the devil himself. But he did at least consider her offer.

However, he still wanted at least something out of this, his cock was still hard after all.

So instead of thrusting his member deep into Vividus: he decided to torment the flustered Kurta woman a bit further. Hisoka started to rub his member against her wet entrance.

"You're still drenched Vivi-chan." Hisoka purred, "Let's at least take care of this, shall we?"

Hisoka wants to ensure that by the end of this session: Vividus intends to come back for more. Hearing Vividus's soft whimpers fill his ears, he thrust a bit more and rubs his cock against her clit. With every momentum he made thrusting forward, Vividus started to become wetter and wetter.

"Hisoka..." the woman moaned out.

Withdrawing his hands from her hips, he would grab both her wrists and started to grind his cock against her entrance harder than before. Hisoka's body was close enough that Vividus could feel his chest against her back. Taking that moment, she rested the back of her head against his shoulder. Soft moans escaping her lips.

Hisoka whispered into her ear, "Hush, you don't want anyone to hear us, do you?"

She swallowed hard. Despite the circumstances: they are still on Netero-san's Airship. Even though they are away from everyone: there is always the chance that someone could catch them.

Vividus did not say anything, she just hummed in response.

Feeling his hand placed on her cheek, she turned her head to the side and faced Hisoka. His golden hues gazed into her scarlet ones. Pressing his lips against her own, he forced his tongue down her throat. He used his free hand to grip onto her love handles. He kept pushing forward his pelvis, making his throbbing member grind its way against her opening. He was too much fun cracking her spirit.

Even though he was tempted to just shove his cock inside her: he is a man of his words. Every time his member grinds against her opening, he can feel her juices covering his cock.

Their bodies indulging themselves only in pleasure. So much pleasure that he heard Vividus reaching her limit.

"Hisoka.." Vividus grunted through the kiss, "I'm coming!"

The Kurta woman felt Hisoka smirk in the kiss. Pulling away a bit, he stared down into her scarlet eyes. Feeling his breath against her flushed face. "Not yet, Vividus. I want you to cum with me."

When she heard Hisoka say her proper name, Vividus felt butterflies start to go crazy in her stomach. She couldn’t understand why it was driving her insane, but one thing is for certain:

She felt herself falling apart under him.

When Hisoka started increasing the pressure, the Jester yanked on her love handles and pounded his cock against her entranceway repeatedly. This whole time he was doing so, he did not take his eyes off Vividus's face.

Hisoka wanted to see it all.

All he wanted was to witness Vividus' expression when she explodes from ecstasy.

After a couple of more pumps, Hisoka would dig his nails into her love handles. The look of pleasure on Kurta's face made Hisoka reach his limit.

"V-Vividus!" he groaned.

"H-Hisoka!" she moaned back in response.

After saying each other's names, Vividus would throw her head back against Hisoka’s shoulder, while the Jester felt his seed shoot forward into the wall. As both parties panted heavily, Hisoka would lay down on the cold floor: Taking Vividus with him.

Vividus felt herself drop onto Hisoka's chest, appreciating how warm his body actually is. Closing her eyes, the woman tried to gather her thoughts after she felt herself being drained from Hisoka's pounding.

Feeling something cover her body and something playing with her hair. Looking up, she saw a thin blanket covering their bodies, along with Hisoka playing with her hair.

"Satisfied?" Vividus asked softly.

"Very," Hisoka replied, kissing the top of her head gently.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Vividus took this moment to snuggle into Hisoka, which surprised him from her sudden affection. Hisoka looked down at Vividus, blinking a few times as he wasn't expecting her to do that.

"Don't get the wrong idea." She said avoiding Hisoka's gaze.

Hisoka put his arms around Vividus and held the small figure in his arms. Enjoying every moment in this position.

"Whatever you say, my crimson flower~."

In spite of the intense foreplay and not breaking her insides: Hisoka is satisfied with the results. Through foreplay he managed to break down the first wall, now he is eager to break it down more in the near future.

But for now, he is enjoying this affection.

> **What makes it even weirder for Hisoka, was he didn't want her to leave his side.**

* * *

**Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed it!  
  
I may have wanted to have an excuse to write a smutty chapter...but don't you worry; There shall be more to come. ** ***insert evil laughter here***

**After re-reading the chapter, I realize it comes across a bit non-con. When writing this I had it in mind that she also definitely wanted to have sexy time with Hisoka but at that very moment, she wasn't in the mood.  
** **So Hisoka as a punishment put her in the mood. I hope that cleared some things up!**  
Thanks!

**-NezuVIX**


	21. Third × Phase

**[Warning: This chapter contains gore and discomfort for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised!]**

> **_C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - O N E_**

_"Hello, Everyone! The exam's Third Phase will begin here at the top of Trick Tower. To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. You have seventy-two hours to complete this phase. With that, we will now begin. I wish you all good luck!"_

**~.:[Hisoka]:.~**

**"Gittarackur, applicant #301, is second to pass. Total time, Twelve hours and two minutes. Vividus, Applicant #100, is third to pass. Total time, Twelve hours and three minutes."**

Looking up, he saw his companion and his favourite toy pass through the door. Illumi, disguised as Gittarackur, stared at Hisoka and tilted his head to the side.

"I figured you'd already crossed the finish line."

He smirked and he looked over at Illumi and gave him a simple nod. However, once he looked past the oldest Zoldyck, he raised an eyebrow as he saw that his favourite toy looked miserable.

It intrigued him; it had been a long time since Hisoka was struck by bad vibes coming off the woman. Her shoulders were slumped forward, her hands were in her jacket pocket, and her expression was sad and withdrawn.

So bad that he can almost feel her bloodlust seeping through her.

Watching her every move, she didn't even bother looking at Hisoka. Vividus walked away from the two men and walked on the opposite side of the room. Sitting down with her legs cross and her eyes closed. Before anyone else entered the room, he sensed that she covered her aura up with zetsu. No longer feeling the bloodlust radiating off of Vividus.

He looked up at Illumi, raising an eyebrow with a curious expression. "What happened?"

"It's more like what didn't happen," Illumi said, sitting beside Hisoka. "Vividus and I ended up becoming a two-person team during Phase three. When we reached a certain point...Vividus lost it."

Hisoka looked delighted, "Oh?"

He looked at the Kurta survivor. "After witnessing what I saw... I'm beginning to understand now why you're obsessed with her."

"And why is that?" Hisoka asked, a bit surprised.

"For a Kurta survivor," Illumi started, "She's dangerous."

Once Illumi said those words, he began to describe what happened to Vividus during the Third Phase.

**~.:[Illumi]:.~**

_After the tower swallowed me up, I finally managed to escape the tunnel and land on the ground. Looking around, I saw a large frame placed in front with two wristwatches placed on the pedestal. Walking towards it, I picked up the watch and held it in my hand: seeing that only Seventy-hours left remaining. Glancing up towards the frame, I started to read what was placed in front of me._

In this Trick Tower, there are two types of tests: team-based and individual-oriented. Lucky for you: You will be working in pairs of two. But be careful, with every choice you make... it might be your last.

_Rolling my eyes, I put on the watch. Seeing there is an extra watch left, I speculated that perhaps I needed to wait for a new teammate. In the back of my mind, I was hoping I would get Hisoka because that would make Phase Three bearable._

_My hopes were crushed when I saw a familiar platinum-blonde hair come into view. Watching her as she stood on her feet, looking all around, her captivated eyes scanning the room. When she catches a glimpse of me, her smile widens._

_"Hey, Gittarackur!"_

_I felt my eye twitching, 'I can't escape her.'_

_Letting out a large sigh, I pointed at the watch. "Take a look at the board and wear the watch. Once that's done, we're heading out."_

_Even though Vividus was chatty and annoying sometimes, she knows what to do when she is told something. The moment she put on her watch, the door opened up to reveal a dark tunnel that goes forward._

_"Ready?" I asked._

_"More than ever." She replied with a toothy grin. "What could possibly go wrong?"_

_With that, we moved on. We still have seventy hours left to complete Phase Three, but I am somewhat confident that the Kurta woman will be strong enough to keep up with me. Just because Hisoka spoke so highly of her._

'Let's see what happens.' _I thought to myself._

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

_Even though the vast majority of the courses involved mazes and puzzles, I felt that we were able to complete them in a fairly short amount of time. To be honest, I was impressed with how cohesive we worked together._

_Even though Vividus initiated the conversation, I found it entertaining. As much as it pains me to admit, I can understand why Killua was so fond of the Kurta survivor._

_"I don't get it," Vividus said while snapping me out of my thoughts. "You're so calm around Hisoka."_

_"Oh?" I inquired._

_Vividus replied, "Despite the clown being annoying and such, your personalities are so different."_

_"It's a give and take relationship," I replied, catching the woman off guard. "Besides, I should say the same thing regarding your relationship with the mad man."_

_Vividus snickers at my comment. "I suppose you got me there."_

_I felt a smirk tug on my lips. However, due to the needles to keep my disguise in place, my body just twitched in response. "I know."_

_At the end of our conversation, we reached the end of the tunnel and entered a new room. Vividus and I saw a square arena floating in mid-air. On the far side of the arena, two figures stood there._

_"Congratulations on making this far," A voice spoke through the mini arena speaker. "You are closer to concluding Phase Three."_

_I noticed that both figures wore a brown cloak that covered their entire body. Looking at the two prisoners, I noticed that one was tall and muscular while the other was average in height. By the looks of things, both seemed male._

_"To pass: you must either kill the prisoners or make them forfeit their match," they said._

_"So, any method will do?" I asked._

_"Yes."_

_“Even killing?” I asked once more._

_“Correct.” The person confirmed._

_I noticed a Kurta woman sighing distantly behind me. Raising my eyebrows, I looked back to see her staring at me. "Is there a problem?"_

_"Yes." She answered, "I...do not wish to kill anyone."_

_I rolled my eyes: "Are you deaf, woman? He said we could either kill them or make them forfeit. You have options."_

_Vividus said worriedly. "Well, which option will you choose?"_

_"Death, obviously."_

_Staring at the woman, I was curious to see what she would do, knowing it was an option. I was expecting her to argue against me, but instead, all she did was nod her head in understanding._

_"It's wrong." She replied, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "But I won't stop you."_

_"You don't intend to stop me?"_

_Vividus shook her head, "This is your battle, not mine. I cannot stop you, no matter how much I think it's wrong."_

_I must admit, that was not the response I was expecting. I expected this woman to be against me killing someone because of what happened to her Clan. However, after hearing those simple words, maybe she's reasonable._

_"Anyway," Vividus said, glancing at the two figures. "You'll go first since you don't plan on sparring your opponent. Let's get it over with."_

_Nodding, I took a step forward. I looked down to see a platform started to move forward that connected to the arena. Stepping on it, I would feel my twitchy body move, as I walked over to my opponent._

_The moment the first prisoner and I stepped into the Arena. The Prisoner took off his cloak and revealed himself. As I had guessed, he was a muscular male with decent military experience. Unfortunately, he wasted no time and started bragging about himself. He went on and on about his scary past, his life story, and why he was feared._

_I became bored with the Prisoner very quickly. In the middle of his talking, I took out one of the needles from my chest and threw it at the prisoner. In shock, the Prey would lift his head up, feeling the needle stabbed through his skull._

_Looking at me with a horrified expression, his eyes suddenly faded and he died. Taking this moment, I walked towards his corpse and kicked it off the Arena. Watching it fall over the arena and into the abyss of the tower._

_Feeling my body twitching, I walked back over to Vividus who stared at me in disbelief. "Your turn."_

_Vividus stopped leaning against the wall and started making her way back down to the arena. She didn't say anything, so I assumed she just wants to be done with this test. I don't blame her, this test was becoming a drag by now._

_Waiting on the other side, Vividus would stand on her end of the arena, while the Prisoner stood on the other. Watching the Prisoner pull off his cloak, it was revealed to be a man who looked like he was in his early thirties. By his facial features, he looked like a handsome individual, the only odd thing about him was that he wore a blindfold to cover his eyes._

_"My, I must be lucky to be fighting someone as beautiful as you." The Prisoner smirked. "It's a shame I have to kill you."_

_The Kurta woman scoffs, "Oh?"_

_"Yes!" The man exclaimed, "My name is Altair! I am known to be one of the most fearsome prisoners here at Trick tower. People fear me because of my 'demon eyes.' Because of how fearsome my eyes are: people tremble in fear. I propose we fight each other either to death or until one of us surrenders."_

_"I accept."_

_"No weapons either. Even though I am fighting for the examiner: I'm still a prisoner and can't use weapons." Altair added._

_Vividus nodded, taking off her waterskin from around her waist and throwing it to the side. Looking back at the Prisoner and raised an eyebrow. "Alright, anything else?"_

_Seeing the look on Altair's face, he was flustered. "How dare you mock me!"_

_"I'm not trying too," She said honestly, "You are the last obstacle on passing the Third Phase. If you don't want to get hurt: I suggest you surrender now."_

_The Prisoner laughed obnoxiously after Vividus made her proposal to Altair. "You? You? Asking me to surrender? Now I won't be able to hold myself back from killing you."_

_"That's fine," She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck, "I didn't say I warned you."_

_Altair lunged towards Vividus instantly, attacking her at full force. Every time the Prisoner attempted to land a blow against the Woman, she gracefully dodged all of his attacks. He was going all-out to gain the upper hand, but it was not enough._

_He was panting, his breath was heaving and even though he was attacking her with all his might, he was already growing tired._

_Then there's Vividus, who hasn't broken a sweat._

_When Altair threw his punch towards Vividus, she raised her hand and blocked it. Lowering her body, I could see that she swung her feet forward: hitting him right in the stomach and knocking him back._

_Hearing the prisoner grunt, he tried to hold on to his composer and landed back on the arena's floor. But just barely._

_"Wench!" Altair shrieked._

_"Just give up," warned Vividus. "If you surrender now, you’re able to walk out of here in one piece."_

_"As if I would ever surrender to a weakling like you!"_

_Altair stepped back onto the arena floor, his blindfold now untied from his brow. "I will truly make you want to run away like the weakling you are once you see my demon eyes!"_

_I looked at the Prisoner dumbfounded. 'I should have killed him instead,'_

_I was taken by surprise the moment he revealed his eyes. However, I wasn't just seeing any pair of eyes, but the eyes of a Kurta. When I saw his eyes, I felt the air within the room suddenly grow dark and sinister._

_In facing Vividus I felt her zetsu break free from containment. Her ren became suffocating both to me and the Prisoner. She was no longer composed nor calm._

_"Where did you get those eyes." I heard Vividus growl in detest._

_After feeling Vividus's intent to spill blood, the man couldn't speak. He was at a loss for words. Taking a step forward, her aura spiked even more._

_"Answer me!" She roared._

_Altair was shaking; he simply pointed at Vividus and glared at her. "Don’t tell me what to do!"_

_When the Prisoner screamed at her, she vanished from my line of sight. Then, within a blink of an eye: she appeared in front of Altair, grabbing hold of his neck and lift his body up into the air._

_Watching him dangle from her grip and clawing at her hands for air, I would watch her spin him around and slam his body against the ground, causing a crater beneath him. Seeing her spin her body, I saw her eyes flashed red for the first time in my life._

**_Scarlet eyes._ **

_While her eyes look like Altair's, the difference between the two is that her eyes are more genuine, more deadly._

_"Y-You have the scarlet eyes?!" The man choked, "That means you're a member of the Kurta Clan! I thought everyone died!"_

_In a deadly tone, she said, "Think again."_

_With her knee pinning his body down, she would raise his arms up, positioning it painfully behind his body. "Now tell me, where did you get those eyes?"_

_"Fuck you!" he shouted in defiance._

**_Snap_ **

_I was taken aback. Looking at what Vividus had done to the prisoner, she broke his arm. His bone was sticking out of his skin and his arm was now turning purple. The worthless prisoner began weeping bitter tears from how excruciating the pain was._

'Oh my.' _I thought to myself, letting out a small whistle._

_Her scarlet eyes glared down at the man. Taking his other arm, she positioned it into an uncomfortable position again. Ready to snap it once more._

_"Are you going to tell me now?"_

_The prisoner nodded pathetically, tears coming out of his eyes._

_"O-Ok, I'll tell you!" The man cried out, staring up at Vividus in horror. "T-The real reason I got arrested was that I was part of the black market. My position was to perform surgeries on the living and the dead! W-When I finally saw the eyes of the Kurta...I fell in love with them."_

_Vividus stayed quiet, the Prisoner continued._

_"I wanted to stay with the pair I was assigned...so I arranged for surgery and was able to have my old eyes replaced with Kurta's pair. It was beautiful. I wanted them to be mine!"_

_He gasped heavily, looking like the pain was too much to bear. But he continued on. "A-After I saw the eyes, I did everything I could to own a pair. Please spare me!"_

_Altair first noticed the small smile that she gave him. This gave him hope that he might be able to survive this encounter. However, that hope was shattered when he heard another snapping sound._

_Looking up, he saw Vividus had broken his other arm. His eyes widen in horror to see his bone popping out of his skin again. His blood-curdling screams filled my ears._

_“You fucking evil bitch! How could you! I told you everything you wanted!"_

_Hearing a dark chuckle escape her lips, Vividus stood and hovered over the prisoner. Vividus would raise her leg and press her feet against his broken arm._

_Vividus lost it._

_"You have no right to beg for mercy. How dare you taint our beautiful eyes and call them your own." Her eyes shine brighter than they did before. "Never in my life have I ever been so disgusted with somebody in my life."_

_She continued pressing her feet against his arm, hearing the prisoner begging over and over to stop and let him go. When she removed her feet, I noticed her movements and saw her picking up her waterskin, using her nen to control the water out._

_As I watched the water flow around her, I was in awe._

_I turned my attention back to the severely wounded man and watched the water solidify around her hands. Watching as the water clung to her nails and turned them into sharp talons._

_"W-What are you doing?" The man stammered, staring at Vividus's ice claws in horror._

_"It's simple," She said, tilting her head to the side while giving him a false innocent smile. "I'm taking those eyes back."_

_Before the man could ask any questions, Vividus cut him off._

_"You said I was evil, right?" She said with a sadistic grin on her face. "I'll show you what true evil looks like."_

_She reached down, utilizing custom made claws to begin gauging his eyes. Hearing a sickening sound of flesh being torn apart and blood squirt mixed in with the man's screams._

_After a few moments, Vividus would rise with the scarlet eyes in her hands. Using her water ability, she would control the water to cover the eyes in an ice-jar and preserve them._

_I was shocked. I realized it wasn't a big deal since I have been killing people for a living. But this was a whole new level of cruelty._

_However, at the same time...I was rather impressed._

_"M-Monster...," breathed out the man, the eyeless man looking up at Vividus._

_"Monster, you say?" Vividus asked, stuffing her ice-jar into her pocket. "I guess...you're right."_

_Before the man could utter another word, she kicked his body off of the floating platform and stared downward: watching the man now join the abyss of Tricks Tower._

_Her attention turned towards me. I finally got to see what her scarlet eyes look like. Seeing them so close, I could almost grasp how surreal they are. Seeing some of Altair's blood splattered across her face gave her an unnerving look._

_Using her water, she would use it to clean off the blood of her hands and face. Trying her best to clean herself up as if nothing happened. After she finished cleaning up, a new platform suddenly appeared connected to the arena: opening a new door leading them to where they needed to go._

_"Vividus," I said, walking over to her side._

_While looking down at her, I noticed they had returned to their normal state. But this time, her eyes were no longer showing her usual spirited self._

_Meanwhile, she stared at me with an emotionless gaze. Tilting her head to the side in question._

_"Yes?"_

_I said bluntly, walking towards the exit, "That was quite a show you put on back there." "Nothing in my life has ever made me so amused, let alone fascinated. You’d make a great assassin if you decided to become one."_

_The Kurta survivor didn't reply. Instead, all she did was nod her head somenly and started to follow from behind—both us beginning to make our way towards the end of Phase Three._

**~.:[Hisoka]:.~**

Hisoka stared at Illumi, shocked by the story the assassin just told him. It was a strange event that the assassin told him and it was hard to imagine a person capable of doing such a thing.

The woman's undoubtedly a kindred spirit, a positive light, and not to be taken lightly. She's a graceful warrior: one who survives. Yet, hearing that she is capable of torture...let alone killing someone due to losing her temper?

Hisoka groaned in pleasure at the mere thought of it.

"I'm envious of you," The Jester said, staring up at Illumi. "It must have been quite a performance to see her go overboard like that."

"I wouldn't say that," Illumi said, sitting down on the ground. "However, I must admit it was interesting to finally see her skills in action. If she weren't such a sensitive character, she would've made an excellent assassin."

Hisoka grinned, "That would be an interesting twist."

After that, the conversation between Hisoka and Illumi stopped. At this point: it was a waiting game to see who would progress through the doors with time left to complete Phase Three.

He realized that his new prey, Gon, and the others he passed judgement on hadn't arrived yet. But regardless, he has faith in them. They have to grow and become stronger, so he can kill them one day.

Observing the room, he noticed that Vividus hasn't moved from her spot since she entered the gathering hub. The most he's seen her do is get food and water. Other applicants tried to talk to her, but she just gave them the cold shoulder.

After the applicants started arriving, Illumi stayed quiet for the rest of the time. He did not want to talk as much anymore. Hisoka’s only distraction was making a card tower with a deck of cards. After taking a card out of his deck he could see his favourite: the queen of hearts. Lifting the card into the air he looked at the card and then back at Vividus.

Hisoka couldn't stop thinking about her. At first, he felt uneasy knowing he couldn't read her. Just as he thought he had her figured out: she did something else that surprised him.

He loves how she's slowly becoming more merciless. The fact that Vividus was capable of killing someone in such a manner was so...intriguing. He wishes he'd gotten to witness her first kill instead of fighting the previous examiner last year.

Hisoka asked himself, _'Anger? Sadness? Pleasure? What emotions passed through your mind when you gauged out his eyes?'_

He looked at her in wonder, feeling his lips curl into his sinister smile. 

> **_'I wonder what your next steps are now, my crimson flower~.'_ **


	22. Fourth × Phase

_**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - T W O** _

**_"In this box, there are twenty-five numbered cards. In other words, your ID numbers are on the cards. I need you to draw a card in the order by which you exited the tower. Your target's ID tag is worth three points.”_ **

_Explained the Examiner,_

_“With that, your own ID is also worth three points. All other ID tags are worth one point. You need six points to advance to the final phase. So while on Zevil Island, you must gather enough tags to a total of six points. That is the condition for clearing the Hunter Exam's Fourth phase."_

After the third examiner finished making the rules, the boat took everyone to Zevil Island. Upon arrival, Vividus decided to sit as far away from everyone as possible because she didn't want to listen to the guide.

Looking around, she can see that everyone has already taken off their badge and hidden it away. Majority of the applicants we're either just chilling or trying to scout out who is their target. Weirdly enough, others just didn't care and still wore their badge.

Decided to take a glance at Hisoka, she was surprised at how composed he is right now.

_'I wonder who is his target...'_ Vividus thought to herself, looking at Kurapika and the others. _'It would be terrible if one of them ended up with Hisoka.'_

After the guide finished the rules, she told everyone we have a spare two hours until we reach Zevil Island. Taking this moment, Vividus would walk to the end of the boat, leaning against its edge and staring deep into the sea.

As the wind brushed against her face, Vividus couldn't help but think of what happened earlier with the Prisoner. She felt like she lost control when she tore that man apart. Vividus felt as though she was going too far by breaking his bones. To make matters worse, she'd snapped at Gittarackur. Although he's known to be a murderer himself, she still felt a small sense of guilt.

At the same time, she did not feel anything.

What was that, Vividus wondered, _'What would Kurapika think if he saw what I did?'_

Imagine the look on their faces after hearing what she said. Vividus felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn't sure if she could handle looking at her with disgust and fear.

The Kurta woman wasn't sure why she snapped and, despite her fear, was not sure whether or not to inform Kurapika about her encounter with Altair. She knew their eyes were already being used for selfish ends. Knowing this makes the woman sick.

_'What if I lose myself again?'_ Vividus questioned herself, looking toward the water. _'If I lose myself... will I end up hurting the others in the process? How will I be able to control myself?_

Vividus jumped in surprise when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking over, she could see no one other than her baby brother, Kurapika.

"Are you alright?" Kurapika asked, now standing beside her. "It's been a while since we talked."

Taking a deep breath, she shrugged. "No...I'm not ok." Just had a bad time in Trick Tower, that's all.

Kurapika raised his eyebrow, "What happened?"

Vividus felt her mouth open. However, no words came out. Her eyes flashed before her as she snapped Altair's arms and her gauging Kurapika's eyes. Biting her bottom lip, she looked away from Kurapika.

"I...just didn't feel well," Vividus murmured. "We'll talk about it later; we ought to be concentrating on this exam. Not how I'm feeling."

"Vividus," Kurapika said, staring at his Elder Sister with a worried look. "I am not a kid anymore, so you can tell me whatever you want."

The Elder Kurta woman remained silent, looking away from Kurapika and nervously started to play with her jacket's hem.

"Vividus, please tell me the truth." He said worriedly, "I know you want us to talk about family issues after the exam. But can you tell me at least one thing?"

Vividus looked up at her baby brother's worried expression and frowned. "We have two hours to spare. We have time."

Biting her lower lip, she felt a mix of emotions. Contemplating whether or not she should tell him. The temptation to tell him that her battle with Altair, she just wanted to spill everything out. But, after feeling her brother's hand placed on her shoulder.

A flash of Altair raced past her, the sound of his bones snapping and his plea. The image of his blood on her hands brought terror to her. "I'm sorry...but I can't. I'm not ready to say anything."

Gently placing his hand off her shoulder, she poked at the middle of his forehead giving him a sad smile. "I promise we'll talk. Focus on the exam, ok?"

After hearing those words, Vividus knew that Kurapika was not happy with that response at all. He was about to say something else, but she interrupted him. "Passing this exam should be your number one priority. You do want to pass, don't you?"

She heard Kurapika tsk, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah...I agree."

"Then focus on that."

Her brother rolled his eyes, "You're as stubborn as ever."

"I know," Vividus said, snickering, "Some things never change."

At that point, the subject became lighter between the two. They both looked out at the ocean silently. Vividus decided to change the subject. "Who's your target, then?"

"Not you, that's for sure." Kurapika said, "It's Tonpa."

Vividus said, "Damn you're lucky; you got an easy target."

"I guess, but knowing him, he probably teamed up with someone, considering he’s a coward," Kurapika said as he let out a huge sigh. "What about you? Who’s your target?"

"I don't know her name, but she's applicant #80," Vividus replied. "She's the one with the Sniper."

Kurapika now whistled, "Oh her? You might have a hard time finding her."

"Maybe," a grin filled his sister's lips. "However, she doesn't know who she's messing with."

"For that exact reason, I'm glad I'm not your target," Kurapika replied, laughing softly.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Vividus shook her head in disbelief. _‘This...is just too easy.’_

Until a few hours ago, Zhara would allow each applicant to start their application in two minutes. However, it was the order of who arrived in the gathering hub during the Third Phase that gave her the advantage.

Using her zetsu, she concealed herself from her prey and everyone around her. Given that she has been following her target: #80, for the last few hours, it was evident that she had no idea that Vividus was following closely behind.

Finally coming to a stop, she watched her prey hide behind a tree, then pointed her direction towards someone. Looking forward, she raised an eyebrow to see that her target was Gittarackur.

_'Why am I always running into this guy?'_ Vividus asked herself, concentrating her nen and controlling the water out of her waterskin.

Watching both the Sniper and Gittarackur, she saw the tall man remove one needle from his neck: and begin talking on a walky-talky.

"Hisoka, have you taken your target's tag?"

Vividus's eyes widened in shock after hearing Gittarackur's voice. _'Wait, that's what his usual voice sounds like? I feel lied to._ ' She thought, continuing to listen to the conversation.

"No, not yet." Replied Hisoka through the walkie-talkie.

"You don't even know who your target is, do you?" He asked, playing with the needle in his hand.

"Nope."

Vividus sweatdrop, _'Of course, he doesn't.'_

Hearing them converse a bit more over the walkie-talkie, Vividus looked down to see that the Sniper was aiming her weapon at Gittaruck. Looking back and forth between the twitchy and she, she finally put two and two together that the man is the woman's target. As Gittarack continued his conversation with Hisoka, Vividus felt his sudden urge to kill someone.

The Sniper has been compromised.

_'If I don't act now, she's going to die!'_

At that exact moment, Gittaruck suddenly threw his needle towards the Sniper. Using her water control, Vividus would control the water and block the needle with her ice-shield.

As her ice-shield protected the sniper, the applicant watched the needle embed itself into the ice. Seeing the Sniper's eyes widen in shock, she suddenly fell back. The woman wasn't sure what shocked her more: Gittarackur’s attempt to kill her, or a random ice shield protecting her out of the blue.

Vividus quickly appeared behind the applicant and hit her side of the neck, knocking her out before the Sniper could make another move. Watching the applicant's eyes close, she watched the gun fall out of her hands while Vividus caught her body.

"Oh? Is that you? Vividus?" Gittarackur asked, making his way to her ice-shield. "I'm impressed. I did not even sense you."

The Kurta woman rolled her eyes. She placed the Sniper on the ground and then started looking for her tag. "That's the point, this woman was my target. But when I realized she was after you: I had no choice but to step in."

She took her tag and shoved it into her own pocket, pleased that she got what she needed. "The worst part is if I hadn't blocked your attack: you would've killed the poor applicant."

Vividus looked up to see Gittaruck twitching a bit, poking her ice-shield with his sharp talons. "You know, you have an interesting ability."

With a wave of her hand, the platinum blonde would turn her ice-shield back into the water. Controlling her water and summoning it back to her waterskin. “Thanks...I guess?”

"You should feel honoured, I don't give compliments often," Gittarackur replied as he spun a needle in his hand.

"I noticed."

Out of the blue, she felt a presence nearby that was hiding in the bushes. Blinking a few times, she would look at the spot where the individual was hiding, then back up at the twitchy man. "We have a visitor."

Gittarackur twitched in response. "So it seems."

Swiftly taking the needle out of his body, she would watch a couple of needs fly towards the bushes: hearing a sudden scream in response. Watching Gittarackur’s victim stumble out from the bushes, they both saw a tall man with a spear. He had a muscular build and wore a blue sleeveless shirt with an orange sash pairing the outfit with purple pants.

From what Vividus could gather, he seems like a weak opponent.

"How did you know I was there?" The man gasped, taking the needle out of his back and panting heavily in pain.

"You weren't exactly good at hiding yourself," Gittarackur replied, now having a few more needles in hand.

Before the poor man moved another muscle, Gittarackur wasted no time and dashed towards the poor man. As the applicant let out a battle cry, he tried his best to fight off Gittarackur with this spear. Deflecting his needles so none would hit him more than it already did. He was holding up well. But not well enough.

_'I'd try to save him.'_ Vividus thought to herself as she watched the battle unfold before her. _'But I'd rather not get in Gittarackur's way.'_

After witnessing the short battle back in Phase Three, she saw that the twitchy man was at her level, if not, above her. She knows she is more than capable of handling the man: however, she prefers not to make enemies at this time.

Especially if he is an acquaintance of Hisoka. Watching Gittarackur kick the man, she saw him fly into a tree. After hearing a loud gasp of pain, she winced in pain.

_'Ouch...that gotta hurt.'_

The Kurta woman would watch Gittarackur approach the indigent applicant. More needles appeared in his hand as he prepared to deliver the final blow, she observed the man's hand rise in front of him in defence.

“W-What, please don't kill me!"

Gittarackur twitched in response, "Why not?"

The applicant slowly rises up to his feet, he stared at the twitchy man in confidence. "P-Please...I want my final battle to be against Hisoka," He started, reaching into his pocket. Taking out his badge, he tossed it over to Gittarackur's feet. "I'll give you my tag, but please all I ask if you spare me so I can fight him, that's all I want!"

Blinking a few times, Vividus couldn't believe what she heard. _'Is he for real?'_

Hearing the sigh of Gittarackur, he would slowly lower his hand and inquire. "Do you really want that?"

"That is my dying wish." The applicant said, "Please, let me go so I can fight him."

Watching the conversation bounced back and forth, I looked up at Gittarackur to see what he was going to do. _'Is he really going to let him go?'_

That indeed was the case.

Watching the man in green wave his hand, he would reach down and pick up the back. Inspecting it, he looked back toward the applicant.

"Go."

Without looking back, the applicant nodded and started running. Vividus couldn't help but let out a whistle, impressed that the tall man in green actually let him go.

As she approached Gittarackur, she tilted her head to the side, curious. "Why did you let him go? Based on what I have seen, you always kill your opponents."

Gittarackur shook his head and put the badge back in his pocket. "I pity him, but besides that he's going to die soon anyway. Might as well give in to the man's last dying wish."

For some reason, Vividus felt her lips curl into a smile. "Awe, you're actually not that bad after all."

Watching the man's red eyes bore into the woman's hazel grey ones. He gave her a small glare. "Shut up."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

It was almost nightfall here at Zevil Island. Vividus couldn't decide what she should do now that she had found her target. Letting out a small sigh, she would look up at Gittarackur, who was walking beside her.

"I'm surprised you let me tag along," Vividus said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm starting to enjoy your company." He replied, "Besides, Hisoka would be delighted to see you."

"Urgh, Really?" She complained,

Gittarackur hummed in response.

After getting to know the tall twitchy man, he wasn't as bad as she thought he was. However, the silence between them is a bit unnerving and it’s starting to make her feel anxious. Gittarackur witnessed her mad side of herself and tortured the prisoner back in the Third Phase.

Vividus was able to tell right away that the twitchy man was a formidable fighter. Not a crazy fighter like Hisoka, who takes pleasure in killing people, but someone who gets the job done.

Vividus furrowed her eyebrows together in shame. She is a kind person, she doesn't kill for fun. If anything killing Altair was the first person she had ever killed with a cold heart. What was worse, it wasn't even out of mercy.

It was out of hatred.

Not realizing Gittarackur was watching Vividus. By observing her aura he saw it was going crazy. He was curious as to what is going on inside her mind that is causing her aura to lose some control.

“When you have that look on your face, you look ridiculous."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, suddenly perplexed.

"The look on your face when you're thinking deeply." He replied, "Whatever's on your mind, it looks like the end of the world for you."

Vividus's eye twitched. "Hey! I didn't mention that."

"Your aura is swaying. I feel nothing but worry and anxiety. It feels suffocating."

Vividus was going to protest, but as she looked down at herself, she saw her aura unravelling. It wasn't as composed as it had been earlier. It was shaky and erratic.

"Ah... you're right," she sighed. "Sorry."

Glancing up towards the man, Vividus was a bit curious about how Gittarackur is able to kill someone so easily. She wanted to ask him questions about how he's able to do what he does without feeling remorse for the person. However, considering he was a close acquaintance with the Jester: She felt like she couldn't really trust the man completely.

In all honesty, the woman doesn't exactly understand why Gittarackur suddenly enjoyed her company. Was it because of what happened back in Trick Tower? Clearly, he has no interest in her at all from the very beginning. If anything she figured he hated her for being so close to Killua. She still doesn't understand why he showed such distaste towards her because of that.

Walking through the forest, it was quiet again. This time Vividus focused on her aura and tried to conceal herself in zetsu. She's so used to hiding herself from the public eye: this is just second nature for her.

Weirdly enough, he decided to pick up the conversation with her.

"I'm a bit curious, but how did you feel when you killed the prisoner back at the tower?"

The woman was silent, unsure of what to say. The man decided to press further. "You don’t seem the type to kill someone — but you did: you tortured him even. I’m curious about your methods of killing someone."

Vividus glared at the man, "You know, you ask a lot of questions for someone such as yourself."

"I couldn't resist," he retorted in his usual raspy voice. "I'm curious about you."

"Well, you shouldn't be. Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity kills the cat?" she snapped in annoyance.

"Indeed I have." He replied, not fazed by her snapping, "However, my curiosity is stronger than death itself."

Hearing the man's comment made her cringe. She could not help frowning because a person like him is very insistent. Rolling her eyes, she shoved her hands into her pockets and fiddled with the ice jar.

She refuses to entertain him, especially since she knows that he is going to report back to Hisoka. Knowing the Jester, she can visualize him pestering her about what it was like to kill someone like that. The more she thinks about it, the worse it becomes.

Vividus doesn't seem to understand why killing someone is so special. If anything, it's a terrible act. It's just not something to be curious about.

Letting out a small sigh, she looked up at the tall man. "Gittarackur, I'd rather not talk about it," Vividus said politely. "You're not exactly the most trustworthy person to talk about this."

The twitchy man nodded at Vividus, looking away now. "True enough," he said.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

It is now dawn, and Vividus and Gittarackur have finally approached a nearby clearing. As they approached: they saw the Applicant Gittarackur spared earlier, now running towards Hisoka in a craze.

Vividus watched Gittarackur lift his needles and throw a needle at the Applicant's throat, now hurling a bunch more across his face. The old man was thrown backwards and saw life escape his body upon impact.

"Sorry about that, I carelessly let him escape."

Vividus clicked her tongue, looking up at Gittarackur. "Liar."

"Ah, Vivi-chan took the words right out of my mouth," Hisoka said, glancing at the two. "Let me guess, he probably begged you to grant him one final wish, no?"

The woman blinked in surprise, pointing at the man. "How did you know?"

"Gittarackur rarely leaves his prey alive", Hisoka explained. Looking at Vividus. "Am I wrong?"

"Well, I felt sorry for the guy. Given that he was dead either way." Gittarackur replied.

Hisoka smirked, "You should cease pitying enemies who serve no purpose."

Gittarackur tapped his hips. "You've done it before, haven't you? You've walked away from opponents before finishing them."

Hisoka smirked even more, "I have standards. I'm not interested in people who serve no purpose. I only spare those whose losses won't go to waste. Did you take his tag, at least?"

"Yeah, I've got six points now." He explained, then raising an eyebrow at Vividus. "I was going to get another tag from someone who tried to snipe me, but she interfered with the kill."

"I had to. Number 80 was my target. If I didn't interfere, she wouldn't have lived." Vividus crossed her arms over her chest, feeling her cheeks puff up.

Hisoka looked at Vividus with a perverted grin. "Vivi-chan, what did I say about interfering with people's hunts?"

Having a sudden shudder go down her spine, the poor Kurta woman remembered Hisoka's punishment a few days ago. Hisoka couldn't help but laugh when he saw her unexpected reaction.

The Kurta woman felt her cheeks flush slightly in response to the man's golden hues. "Shut up, you said your kill. You didn't say anything about others."

He chuckled again, nodding his head in understanding. "Touche."

Gittarackur nodded his head and began removing the needles from his face. "Now then."

At that moment, both Vividus and Hisoka watched the man remove his needles. Catching the woman off guard, she watched Gittarackur's face start to change the moment he took them off.

"Hm, this is always so fascinating to watch," Hisoka said smoothly.

After what she witnessed, Vividus doesn't think that calling twitchy anymore isn't a proper name. His skin tone changed from a purpose colour to a snow-like skin tone. His spiky purple hair suddenly became long, silky black, and his eyes were dark and void. His voice was no longer raspy but more soothing and calm.

"Holy shit," Vividus swore, eyes widening. "I wasn't aware you were an attractive individual."

Gittarackur looked at Vividus with a small grin but did not respond. Hisoka stared at Vividus with a slight glare, not liking how his flower complements another man.

_'Wait a minute,'_ Vividus thought to herself. _'If Gittarackur even his real name?'_

Out of nowhere, she would watch the man starting to dig a hole. Large enough for him to sleep in. Vividus sweatdrop, not believing the sight that's playing out in front of her.

"Well, I think I'm just gonna sleep here until the end!" Gittarackur exclaimed, looking at both Vividus and Hisoka. "Good luck!"

He then covered the hole on top of him, leaving Vividus and Hisoka alone.

Taking a glance at Hisoka, the Jester focused his attention in front of him. Now that she was alone with Hisoka, she felt butterflies in her stomach, but not in a good way.

She hasn't talked to him since the airship incident. If she’s being honest with herself, her mind was occupied with what happened with Altair. Not once she even thought of Hisoka. Being around Hisoka right now is making her nervous and she doesn't like it.

Her instincts are telling her to get out.

Vividus was walking away from Hisoka. But suddenly, she felt a sudden grip on her wrist. Blinking a few times, Vividus looked down to see Hisoka's hand.

"Hisoka, what do you want?" she asked.

"Keep me company, my crimson flower," Hisoka said slowly, rising from his seat. "I would love to hear about your phase three experience."

Vividus felt her heart drop. Gittarackur told Hisoka what happened.

"No," She said, attempting to rip her grip away. "I don't want to talk about it, especially not with you."

With a hard tug, she felt Hisoka tugging her body closer to his own, using his free hand to snake his arms around her waist. "Come now, I want to listen to everything you have to say. It must have been interesting torturing the poor man~."

Vividus growled in response. She pressed her hands against his chest and pulled away from him. "You have no idea how I felt."

"Oh but I do, Vivi-chan," he said. "Holding someone's life in your hands, being the one to decide whether they deserve to live or not...it's pure ecstasy."

Hisoka felt her shaking beneath him. He turned and saw her expression was nervous. He decided to push her a bit more. Leaning in, Vividus felt his hot breath brush against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"You're a monster, just like me~."

**_Monster_ **

Her head started to ring, her mind started to suddenly fly all over the place. Hearing those simple words was echoing in her mind. So many thoughts started to run wild as she started to question herself.

Who is she becoming? Is she becoming a monster like Chrollo? Merciless like Hisoka? What would Kurapika and Killua think of her?

Slowly raising her head, she looked at Hisoka with a sad expression, her lips quivering as she spoke. "Am I really becoming a monster?"

Hisoka did not anticipate the effect what he said to Vividus would have on her. His golden hues are observing her like he always has before. Misery and sadness is an expression that does not suit Vividus at all.

His original intention was to break her, but this isn't what he expected. Seeing her like this suddenly makes him feel...

Awful.

Hisoka no longer had a positive expression on his face. Instead, his expression was serious. He felt butterflies in his stomach start to flutter about. The Jester was now trying to realize why seeing her like this is making him feel such trivial emotions.

He never felt this way toward anyone before, not even towards Illumi or Machi. He doesn't understand why he is starting to feel bad. This was starting to frustrate him.

Looking at Vividus with questionable eyes, he unhooked one of his arms from her waist and used the other to lift her chin up, a sudden change out of character in what she has grown used to.

"I don't know, my crimson flower...are you a monster?" he whispered.

Vividus was taking in Hisoka's sudden genuine tone. A tone she had never heard before. Looking up to the Jester as she attempted to figure out what the man is feeling, she couldn't see his real emotions.

Her eyes widen in surprise as she hears a quiet gasp. Staring past Hisoka's shoulder, she notices a pair of innocent hazel-brown eyes. Staring at the two applicants before him.

Realizing who it was, she could hardly believe that she is being watched by Gon. She wondered how long he was there? What else did he hear? Is Hisoka his target?

Shaking her head, Vividus felt herself snap back to reality.

Hisoka no longer felt Vividus shake in his arms. Instead, she gently pushed him away, watching the Jester stumble backward in surprise. "I'm not a monster, Hisoka," she replied, trying to compose herself.

She would turn her body around and walk away from Hisoka. "You should focus on passing the Exam. If you fail just because you couldn't restrain yourself, that would be extremely embarrassing for you."

As she walked away, Vividus heard Hisoka pouting from behind. "But Vivi-chan-"

She would whip her head around and stare back. "Focus, no buts."

Without wasting a minute more, she had vanished from Hisoka's sight. Trying to get as far away from him as possible. As she jumped through the forest, she clung to her shirt. Trying to comprehend what just happened between her and Hisoka.

While trying to figure out what was happening, she was overwhelmed by her emotions: Hisoka's way and his actions towards her, how close they were and how he whispered to her. It made her cheeks glow red when thinking of that moment.

And to make matters worse, Hisoka did something that she never expected her heart to do:

> **Her heart skipped a beat.**


	23. Venting

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - T H R E E** _

**It's the final day of Phase Four,**

and whoever was left was now at the starting point. Looking around, she could see that there were seven other applicants left. The only drawback is that she hadn't seen Leorio, Gon, nor her baby brother, Kurapika.

Killua nudged her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure they will show up."

"Do you think so?" she asked, staring at the white-haired boy.

"I know so."

She let out a small sigh as she put her hands into her pockets. Playing with the ice-jar, she thought, _'I ought to have looked harder. If I had found them earlier, then they would've been here already.'_

While tapping her foot nervously, a lot of thoughts started running through her head. Thinking about all kinds of situations that could've happened, Killua looked past her shoulders and started to smile.

Looking up at the Kurta woman, he tugged on the hem of her jacket and pointed behind him. She blinked a few times in confusion and turned around and saw the trio she was thinking about: they arrived safely.

"Ah, three more arrived at the last minute." said the guide. After calling out their names and writing down their points, Zahara smiled brightly towards everyone. "Congratulations everyone! You all passed the Fourth Phase of the exam."

Vividus sighed in relief when she realized everyone had passed the fourth exam. He glowed brightly at the three boys in particular.

_'Thank goodness.'_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Learning her lesson from last time, Vividus kept close to her brother, Gon and Leorio. She wasn't sure where Killua ran off; but decided to leave him alone. The last thing she wants is to become overbearing like his family.

As they walked around the airship, the boys ended up telling her about what happened to them during the last part of the exam:  
It was bizarre to hear that Leorio almost died, they had to use sleeping gas to escape, and that Gon carried all three bodies half his size out of the cave. Vividus grinned at him, patting him on the back, "Good job, Kiddo!"

Gon smiled brightly and nodded his head. "Thank you Vivi-nee!"

She chuckles to herself and looks over at Leorio, who seems to be sulking. "I'm pathetic...I need you both to do everything for me during the Fourth Phase."

"That may be true," Vividus patted Leorio's back. Which surprised him by her sudden support. "However, you wouldn't have passed. I'm grateful to have a comrade such as them."

Leorio blushed a little, scratching his cheek and nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right, " The man looked down at his teammates, blushing in embarrassment. "T-thanks guys, I'll repay the favour."

Hearing Leorio thank them all made Vividus and the boys smile. Happy to hear what he said. Vividus is beginning to see why Kurapika and Gon are fond of him. They were about to say something, when the speaker interrupted and made it’s announcement.

_"I have an announcement for all applicants. The chairman wishes to interview the remaining candidates. When your number is called, please come to the first reception room, on the second floor. We will start with #44, Hisoka"._

Hearing Hisoka's name, Vividus narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest in discomfort. Looking over at Gon, she noticed how the boy also reacted to his name.

_'That's right...he managed to get Hisoka's tag,' Vividus thought, staring at him. 'I wonder what happened between them?'_

Blinking a few times, Vividus felt like someone was looking at her. Looking up, she would see her brother's grey eyes staring at her hazel-grey ones. Raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Vividus asked, tilting her head to the side.

He shook his head, looking away from her. "Nothing, just wondering why you flinched, that's all."

Vividus thought to herself, mentally slapping herself. _'Urgh, He saw me reacting to Hisoka's name. He’s definitely going to ask about him later.'_

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After Leorio ended his turn, Vividus was the last to get summoned into Netero's reception room. Upon entering, she saw the old man had a massive grin on his face. He waved towards the woman.

“We meet again young one!” He chirped, “Please, sit!”

She nodded as she listened and sat in front of the old man. Looking at him, she noticed he had a notepad and a paintbrush in his hand. Preparing himself to take notes in this meeting.

"How's your day going, Oji-san?" She asked.

He smiled at her and said, "Well! You rookies this year really are full of surprises. I haven't seen this many rookies pass the hunters exam for a long time. It's quite refreshing."

Vividus grinned at the old man. "I'm glad you were impressed this year."

"Indeed I am, young one," Netero replied, "As I mentioned before, you found at least one of your objectives during this exam, yes?"

She glanced at the old man, confused at first, but soon realized that he was speaking of Vividus reuniting with Kurapika. Letting out a soft chuckle, she nodded her head.

"Yes, I completed one of my objectives. It was interesting for me because I originally wanted to take this exam to find him."

He would look up and raise an eyebrow as he wrote down on his notepad. "What are you going to do now with your license? Any change of plans?"

Vividus held her chin back in reflection, trying to articulate her thoughts and respond in an appropriate manner. "Truthfully, after I found Kura-chan, I wanted to become a blacklist hunter."

Looking back up, she noticed a sudden change in the old man's demeanour. Netero no longer seemed happy and jolly, but more worried. "May I ask, why?"

The man might catch her lying if she put up an excuse, Vividus just stared at him in concern and seriousness. The last thing she wanted was for him to view her as incompetent.

“When I become a blacklist hunter, I am going to find the Phantom Troupe and bring them to justice for what they’ve done to my clan.”

"I see," He replied, continuing to jot down some notes in his notebook. "Let's say hypothetically, you achieve 'justice'. What would your plans be then?"

Vividus stared at him, unsure what to make of this. "What do you mean?"

"I want to know, young one," he began, laying down his notepad and brush. Giving Vividus his full undivided attention. "Is once you achieve your revenge, what will your new life purpose be?"

She was ready to reply to the old man's response, but...nothing came out of her mouth. Frowning, she felt his stare bore deep into her eyes. Netero wanted to know what her answer was.

But she has nothing.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked away from him. "Honestly, I don't know. I feel like if I accomplish that goal, I don't have a purpose anymore." she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “I...haven’t thought that far ahead Oji-san. I apologize.”

In response, all Netero did was nod his head. Vividus looked up to see he had his brush and notepad in his hand again. Scratching the back of his head with the wooden end of his brush.

"Sorry young one. I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries." He said, "Now, let's get back on topic, shall we?"

Vividus nodded, her hands no longer crossed but placed on her lap. She was not sure what just happened with the old man. Looking back, she was not sure how the questions even had a relation to the hunter's exam at all. He always does this to her.

"Now tell me, who do you want to fight the most, and who the least?" he asked, preparing his brush with his hand.

"I would like to fight Kurapika, Gon, Killua, and Gittarackur first for positive reasons," she said, counting her fingers. "Other than those four, I have no interest in fighting anyone else."

Netero blinked in surprise. "Nobody?"

Vividus shakes her head. "Nobody."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Having finished the interview with Netero, Vividus walked around the airship. She wanted to talk to Kurapika, but saw Kurapika and Gon sharing a moment alone. Walking away, Vividus felt it was best not to interrupt their moment together.

As she sat alone at the window, watching the sun slowly disappear before the moon took over, Vividus recalled the conversation she had with the old man.

_'He's right,'_ Vividus thought to herself, _'What are my plans once I hunt down the Phantom troupe?'_

Leaning over, she would place the side of her head on the table. Her hair was covering her face to hide how miserable she was feeling. This isn't the type of conversation she expected to have with the old man, especially given how off-topic the conversation turned out to be.

_'Why did you ask that, old man?'_

With her thoughts interrupted, she noticed someone moved some of her hair behind her ear. Looking over, she saw a pair of beautiful blue eyes looking down at her with worry.

"You ok?" Killua asked.

She would nod her head and lean back as she reached out her hand and ruffled Killua's hair. "Yes, I'm fine."

Killua was taken aback, not believing a word she just said. "Onee-chan, don't lie to me. Come on, what's wrong with you? Ever since Phase Three, you seemed off".

He sat on top of the table, giving Vividus his full attention. "Talk to me, I know it's been three years, but you know I'm always here for you," he said.

"I know Killua...but I'm not sure that you need to hear how I tortured a man."

Killua was staring at her with a deadpan expression, "Yeah, I also stabbed my hand through a prisoner's chest and took their heart out." He poked the center of Vividus's forehead. "You always seem to forget that I come from a family of assassins. I kill for a living. If anything, I am more than qualified to listen."

She stared at Killua in disbelief. "You stole the heart of a prisoner?"

The white-haired boy smirked. "Without a drop of blood."

Vividus should've known he was going to do something like that. While she disapproves of his methods, she couldn't exactly say much about it. She tortured someone just as bad, if not: worse.

With a sigh, she reached her hand out to pinch his cheek, causing him to pout in embarrassment. "All right, kiddo, you win this round."

"I am not a kid anymore, don't do that!" He pouted, giving her a playful glare.

She rolled her eyes, taking her hand back and leans against it. "You'll always be my kiddo."

Killua stuck his tongue out and then placed his hands over his head. "Now, talk."

"So demanding," said Vividus, rolling her eyes.

After watching the sunset through the window, she began to mentally prepare herself, given she has been holding these thoughts in for so long.As she finally calmed her breathing, she was now calm and collected. Feeling ready to share about her experience at Trick Tower.

"During Phase Three, I was paired up with Gittarackur. We had to work together to make it through the tower. After we reached the final part of the exam, everything changed." She explained. "To pass, we either had to kill or make our opponent surrender. Gittarackur was ruthless and he killed his opponent in a heartbeat. For me, I was planning on beating the crap out of him until he surrendered."

Vividus was leaning on her hand while the other in her pocket, fiddling with the glass jar.

"I fought Altair because he was as fake as they come. I thought it would be quick, but... " Vividus stopped fiddling with the jar, remembering a memory flash involving Altair' the moment he blinked his eyes at her.

"Killua, as I already said three years ago, I have regained my memories, and you know how I feel about my clan." She said as her rage began to build in her body. "After Altair removed his blindfold...I snapped."

Killua looked at Vividus concerned. "What are you talking about?"

As she let a small sigh escape her lips, Vividus took the jar out from her pocket. Laying it on the table: Killua saw the crystal jar that had a pair of scarlet eyes. Realizing what it was, the boy's eyes widened in shock.

“Onee-chan...what happened?”

Staring at the eyes she gauged out. Vividus had narrowed her eyes to the scarlet iris, and an overwhelming sadness washed over her as her anger faded.

"After Altair removed his blindfold, he gained the sight of my brethren's eyes. He became obsessed with how beautiful they were, so much that he wanted to adopt it as his own...It was disgusting."

For a moment, Killua saw her eyes flash scarlet. However, as they were still on Netero's Airship, she was trying her best to compose herself and her emotions.

"After hearing Altair's stupid back story I was filled with nothing but rage. So much rage that I ended up torturing Altair. Even as he begged for mercy, I continued to break his arms, soon gouging out his eyes in the process. The worst part is that I feel no remorse for my actions, and yet my moral conscience screams at me telling me that I should feel ashamed...but I don't."

Trying to calm her breathing, she would try to relax. Vividus saw small flashes of Pairo, her parents and other villagers. How happy they were living a comfortable life before the massacre.

From looking at the smiling faces of her people, now she shifts to the terrible memory of Vividus taking her anger out of Altair and having him suffer before he died. The scarlet eyes of Altair were once so gorgeous and pure.

Now, the eyes have become clouded by greed and evil.

She looked over at Killua who showed nothing but concern and empathy. When Killua heard everything that the poor Kurta survivor had gone through, it all made sense to why she behaved in that way.

He sympathized with her.

"That's what scares me, Killua. Like any sane person, I should be panicking...yet nothing. The last thing I want is Kura-chan to look at me as if I'm a monster."

Feeling her anxiety and self-doubt rising, she held the jar in her hand and stared at its contents with worry. "There must be something wrong with me...maybe Hisoka was right...I'm a monster."

Picking up the jar, she shoved the jar into her pocket. "I-I'm so sorry, Killua...that was so much to unravel. I apologize for putting you in this situation."

Killua shook his head and jumped off the table, now sitting beside her and giving her a hug. He felt Vividus' tensing up when she felt his hug.

"Onee-chan, there is nothing wrong with you...you're not a monster. That prisoner had it coming. Honestly you did what you could that you felt was right at the time." Killua said, resting his head against her chest. "As my grandpa once told me: _Being scared is part of being alive. Accept it, walk through it._ "

Vividus stared at Killua, unsure what to say. However, one thing was certain, Vividus needed to hear those kind words and guidance from him. Both the Kurta woman and the Zoldyck prodigy hugged one another in silence.

Not saying much after that. Killua figured that Vividus needed his comfort; he knew very well how killing someone for the first time can really affect someone's mental well being. After everything that she's done for him, this is the least he can do for her. Killua hated seeing her sad like this, he never wants her to ever feel like a monster.

She's far from it.

"I'm sure Kurapika will understand if you talk to him. You're his older sister after all."

Blinking a few times, she would pull away from the hug a bit. Raising her eyebrow as she was curious. "How did you know we were related?"

Killua rolled his eyes, "After meeting Kurapika and hearing his name: I figured he was the one you were looking for." He explained, unhooking one of his arms and poked her on the forehead. "Also, I was on his team during the third phase, and he was talking about his clan as well. So I just put the two and two together. It's not that hard!"

Besides Gon and Leorio, of course, Killua was probably one of the individuals who hung around Kurapika during the exam. A part of her was surprised that he told them, for her baby brother must have really trusted them.

"Besides, even though your hair is a bit lighter than Kurapika's, there is a striking resemblance between the two of you."

Chuckling softly, she nodded her head in understanding. Leaning down, she planted a kiss on top of Killua's forehead, causing the white-haired boy to blush in embarrassment.

"Thank you for everything, Killua."

After Vividus and Killua spoke to one another. The two individuals did not know that a certain Blonde teen was listening in on the conversation. Hearing every detail on what happened to Vividus during the Third Phase.

Kurapika gripped his blue tabard, not sure why he felt upset. He did not understand why Vividus telling Killua about what happened to her upset him. The blonde male understands that his older sister is scared about what he might think about her, but does she really think that low of him?

The Kurta teenager thought to himself, _'Why can't Onee-san just tell me? I'm not a kid anymore,'_

Watching from afar, Kurapika watched as Killua and Vividus bond with one another. Seeing how happy both of them were with each other and how close they are. He frowned, not liking his negative feelings at the moment.

Kurapika doesn't know why he feels so negative towards the two in the first place. He knows his sister has her reasons for being close to the boy, but, somehow...

He couldn't help but be jealous of Killua.

Shaking his head from side to side, he would slap his cheeks, trying to get rid of those negative feelings. Turning around, he decided to go back to Gon and Leorio, not wanting to interfere with their interaction.

He thought to himself, trying to stay positive. _'Onee-san is alive, that's all that matters. I'm sure she'll tell me everything in due time.'_

Trying his best, he gave himself words of encouragement, knowing his sister loved him dearly. He knew his sister better than the white-haired child. And he knew Vividus was just friendly to him.

> **Why does he feel like he is being replaced?**


	24. I × Surrender

**[A/N: Hello everyone! I hope that all of you are enjoying the story so far! Thank you all so much for reading up to this point!**   
**Here it is! I present to you another badass photo of Vividus >;3 **   
**This lovely art is made by: _duruko**   
**Please check out his work on Fiverr if you want to commission off of him! Thanks again!]**

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - F O U R** _

**After her match against Pokkle, it was an easy win.**

She wasted no time and got her battle done, all it took was Vividus pinning him to the ground and attempted to break his fingertips. Considering he was an archer, he refused to lose his fingers.

Thus he surrendered. A couple of matches continued after that. Hisoka surrendered to Kurapika. Hanzo defeated Pokkle the second time. Killua surrendered to Pokkle since he no longer wanted to fight him.

Bodoro has to forfeit the match due to his beating by Hisoka. However, due to the old man's injuries, Leorio suggested he recover so it was Gittarackur against Killua.

During the match, Gittarackur removed his needles shown his true face to Killua. Revealing himself as Killua's older brother, Illumi Zoldyck. She felt nothing but rage towards the man she once respected during this exam. She felt her brother holding her hand. Trying to comfort his older sister.

"V-Vividus, please calm down," Kurapika said worriedly.

"I will not." She said sternly, hearing the conversation being exchanged towards the two.

She was livid.

Illumi talked down to Killua, calling him a monster who only enjoyed seeing people die. How he was in no position to become a hunter. Biting her lower lip in frustration, she finally understood why Killua disliked his family so much.

Why he felt so fearful towards his older brother.

"Don't listen to him!" Vividus yelled to the boy.

At that moment, she saw Illumi throw a needle toward her. Using her free hand, she caught the needle with her fingers with ease.

"Hey!" the referee yelled. "You cannot hurt other applicants if they are not your opponent! That's your last warning!"

Illumi rolled his eyes, his empty onyx eyes staring into Vividus's hazel-gray ones. "I said what I meant earlier, Vividus. I respect you, but please try not to meddle in our conversation."

“A family conversation?” She yelled, looking at Illumi in horror. “You’re making him feel like he’s worthless! Not worthy of becoming a hunter! He’s more qualified than anyone in this room!

"No, Vividus. He's right." Killua stuttered, "I have no desire to become a hunter. However, I do want something from this."

"No, you don't," Illumi said calmly.

"I do!"

"Then what do you want?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

He didn't say anything at first but Killua took a glance at Vividus. Her expression shouted nothing but worry. Seeing her like this made her heartache, he never wanted her to worry about him like this. Killua looked away quickly and stared down at the ground. He didn't want to burden her with all this.

But sadly, Illumi caught him glancing at Vividus.

"Really? You want her?" Illumi asked. Raising an eyebrow.

"N-Not just her...I also want to become friends with Gon. I'm tired of killing people. I want to become friends with Gon and spend more time with Onee-chan. Attempt to live a normal life."

Kurapika felt her grip tighten more after hearing those words. Her little brother looked up at his sister in worry. This is the first time he has seen her behaving in such a manner.

The only time she was ever this concerned about anyone was when it came to Kurapika. Looking at Killua, Kurapika started to realize that Vividus genuinely cares for him.

For Kurapika, the sensation of being a bit jealous came from seeing how much Vividus is helping Killua. Seeing how the two interacted with one another throughout the exam, he felt quite sad that his sister was incapable of showing kindness to him.

How is Killua allowed to call her Onee-chan and he isn't? He knows that she couldn't act like they usually do for safety reasons... but still.

_‘No,’_ Kurapika thought to himself, squeezing his sister's hand in comfort, _'Now is not the time to be jealous.'_

"Wow, you care about Vividus so much that you even call her Onee-chan?" Illumi said, pulling back his head in a sinister grin. "I must say, I didn't realize she had such an impact on you."

He said, glancing at Killua with those empty eyes he had. "Your concern when meeting someone is whether you should kill them. That's how you were raised. You just don't know how to classify anyone."

He stated, lowering his gaze towards Killua. "You don't actually want to become friends with Gon, and you only keep Vividus close because you used her to fill that empty void in your dead heart."

Killua stared at his older brother with mixed emotions as he shook his head. "You're wrong..."

Killua's suffering was too much for Vividus to bear. She began to feel her ren seething out of her as Examiners, and other applicants began to feel her hostility towards Illumi.

"If you stay with them, you'll end up wanting to kill them one day. You'll get the urge to see if you can kill Gon or not. You'll discard Vividus when you no longer have any use for her."

Leorio took a step forward, but one of the guards stopped him in place. "You know the rules."

"Yeah yeah, I know!" Leorio screamed at Killua. "I don't care if he's your brother, Killua. Just beat the crap out of him like usual and win!"

All the attention is now on Leorio. He pointed at Killua with a furious expression on his face. "You want to become friends with Gon? You want Vividus to stay by your side? Then understand this! You are already friends with Gon, Vividus already cherishes her as if you are one of her own! That's how they feel!"

Vividus blinked in response to Leorio's comment. Looking up at the loud man with wide eyes. "Leorio..."

Illumi blinked a few times and looked at Leorio. "Oh? Is that true?"

Leorio nodded his head confidently. "Damn straight, it's true!"

The older Zolduck nodded his head, holding his chin in thought. "Hm...Gon already considers Kil as his friend, and Vividus treating him as if she's her own blood? No, no, that can't be good." He said. Now pointing his finger up as if he had an idea.

"That settles then! I guess I have to kill Gon and Vividus."

Everyone was thrown back by Illumi's comment. Many eyes weren't sure who to look at anymore—Illumi, who decided to make Gon and Vividus a target. Killua was shocked that his brother is willing to go that far, or Vividus, who was taken back by this whole situation.

He observed the Kurta woman curious to see what she was going to do next. He did not like the idea of Illumi hunting down his prey nor trying to hurt his favourite toy. However, he just stayed quiet and decided to watch what would happen before him.

While he valued Illumi as an acquaintance, he didn't appreciate someone touching his new prey, much less touching the woman that is rightfully his.

However, Hisoka knew better than to interfere with this battle; it has nothing to do with him right now. For now, he thought it best to just sit back and watch as everything unfolded before him, keeping a close eye on the Kurta woman.

Illumi fetched a couple of needles out of his pocket and looked at Vividus as his lust to kill Vividus increased. The Kurta woman was not even frightened of Illumi, not one bit. As Illlumi, who had threatened Vividus, merely matched his hostility toward the Oldest Zoldyck. Everyone in the room sensed the two opposing individuals aura, some shuddered, while others were surprised, others were not in a state to react much.

"Vividus, are you threatening me?" Illumi asked, his eyes piercing into her own.

"Perhaps I am, Illumi." She replied confidently as Kurapika's grip tightened even more. "And what are you going to do about it?"

Killua was visibly sweaty, as he felt Illumi's and Vividus's aura battle against each other. It was unbearable for the Zoldyck child. He felt like she didn't deserve to be dragged into his mess.

"No!" Killua screamed, looking at his brother with pleading eyes. "Don't hurt them!"

"Then understand this, Kil. A killer doesn't need any friends. They'll only slow you down. Since Vividus is here first, I'll kill her...and then hunt down the boy."

Trying to stop Illumi, a bodyguard suddenly appeared in front of him. Unable to restrain him, Illumi threw three needles into his face: Twisting his face into an uncomfortable expression.

"Before I kill Vividus, tell me. Where is Gon located?"

The bodyguard struggled against the pain, but it was too much for him. "I-In the waiting room outside the door..." He collapsed.

Nodding his head in approval, Illumi was about to approach Vividus. But Kurapika stood in front of Vividus protectively. Looking at the blonde, the oldest Zoldyck would look over towards the door and see Hanzo and Leorio, guarding it so Illumi wouldn't get to Gon. Not without a fight at least.

"Ah...this won't do. I need a Hunter License to do my job." Illumi said, pouting a bit. "If I kill them, I'll get disqualified, and Kil will automatically pass. Oh darn! The same thing will happen if I kill Gon and Vividus."

He held his thin in thought, soon had the expression on his face as if he had a new idea. "I know! I'll pass the exam first, and then I'll kill them both!"

Looking past Kurapika, Vividus was trying to contain herself. She was trying too hard to contain her aura at this point, since her body was ready for battle. She doesn't care at this point if she fails anymore.

No way will she let this man hurt the people Vividus values or kill any of them. Now that Illumi's starting to become unpredictable, she has no choice but to take immediate action in defense of herself and others.

"Illumi, you bastard," Vividus growled. Feeling her eyes flash between Scarlet and Hazel-grey as her emotions were all over the place.

Illumi noticed her eyes flashing, but it didn't phase him. Looking over at Netero, he dismissed her anger over his shoulder. "If I wait until after I pass the exam, I can kill everyone here and keep my license, right?"

Netero nodded his head, "Yes, according to the rules."

"Did you hear that, Kil?" Illumi asked, looking over at his brother. "You have to beat me if you want to save Gon and Vividus." He turned his attention away from Vividus and the others. Now slowly walking towards Killua.

"Will you fight me for your friend's sake? I know for a fact that you can't do it, you're not strong enough. Why? Because you're more worried about whether or not you can defeat me."

Killua looked up, staring at his brother in fear. No words escaping his lips as he felt the presence of his older brother come closer. "You already have your answer: _I'm not strong enough to beat my brother._ " He said, reaching his hand out towards Killua. " ' _Never fight an enemy you can't beat_.', I drilled that into you."

"Killua," Vividus said, panic encircling her heart, "Don't let him get to you! I won't let him hurt Gon or anyone else here. You have my word!" she screamed, hoping to reach him.

But it was pointless, nothing was reaching Killua. The poor boy wanted to run, but Illumi commanded him not to move. "If you move an inch, I'll assume that the fight has begun. If I touch you, the fight has begun. There is only one way for this to end. But just remember: if you don't fight me, your friend Gon and your dearest _Onee-chan_ will die."

Leorio started to scream at Killua as well. He was also trying his best to give as much encouraging words towards him as possible. Kurapika looked back at Vividus to see that she was unable to respond, she wasn't sure what to say next. He saw that Vividus's eyes were mainly focused on Killua.

"Killua...." Vividus looked at the boy. "No matter what happens, we will protect Gon with all our might. I will be able to handle myself against Illumi. Please don't surrender, for our sake."

The Kurta woman hoped her words would pierce through Killua and make him realize that everything is going to be okay.

However, Killua didn't believe that. He looked down at the ground, feeling weak and incredibly defeated. He didn't want their blood to be on his hands, he didn't wish for Illumi to hurt those he truly cared about. He finally let Illumi's words sink into his skin. Finally, uttering words to end the battle that broke Vividus’s heart.

> **_"I surrender."_ **


	25. Plans

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - F I V E** _

**"Don't touch me, Hisoka."**

"Vivi-chan, you are so hostile~."

"Hisoka, I'm not in the mood for your games right now."

After the fight between Killua and Illumi, Zoldyck was no longer the same. Leorio and Kurapika tried their best to comfort him. However, when it came time for Leorio and Bodoro to fight, Killua interfered with the match and ended up killing the old man in cold blood.

When Killua was disqualified, he left the arena. Vividus tried to follow him, but Hisoka held her back and prevented her from pursuing him. By the time Vividus managed to escape his grasp, he had already vanished.

"Are you mad at me because I stopped you?" Hisoka innocently asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yes."

Walking through the corridors, Vividus was trying to shake Hisoka off her tail, but no matter how many turns she made, he was always right behind her. She didn't have time for this, she needed to find Kurapika, Gon and Leorio and see what they had planned for trying to get Killua back.

However, she does not know exactly where they are.

Hisoka tried hard to get Vividus's attention, but what he noticed was that she wasn't giving him any attention. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he would grab Vividus's shoulder, spinning her around and pinning her against the wall.

Vividus was a bit confused, not knowing what suddenly got into Hisoka. Looking around, she was happy to see no one was around. Because once again, she was trapped between Hisoka’s arms.

"You know, you should really stop doing that." She declared bluntly, puffing her chest up.

Hisoka paused and stared at Vividus, pretending to smile with a fake smile. He replied, "I'm only doing this because you're not giving me attention."

"You're such a child," Vividus replied, furrowing her eyebrows. "I don't understand you. Why do you need my attention so badly?"

Hisoka rolled his eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in order to get a better look at Vividus's features. "Because you're interesting, Vividus."

The woman was confused. When she processed the information, he said something out of character. He usually does something to make her uncomfortable on purpose or mess with her. She thought it was a joke.

But this time, he wasn't joking. He was serious.

But of course, that serious look suddenly vanished when he gave a tiny smile, dropping his head to the side. "Besides! The last time that you gave me your full attention was before the tower. Then you forgot about me and ignored me the rest of the exam."

Hearing Hisoka mention the airship situation made poor Kurta woman suddenly flustered. "Can you please stop mentioning that!"

"Why?" Hisoka asked, leaning in closer. "You afraid your precious baby brother will hear?"

Vividus's eyes widen, now glaring upward at the Jester. Not caring how close he is to her. "How did you know?"

Hisoka chuckled a bit. "It wasn't hard to figure out. Especially since you look-alike, just with different colour hair and eyes."

Vividus glanced away briefly, looking away from him. "Damn...that's what Killua said too."

Her eyes widened as something occurred to her. "Wait a minute, what did you tell Kurapika during your fight?"

"Oh? What do you mean?" Hisoka asked, taking a step back with an innocent look.

"You know exactly what!" She exclaimed, sticking an index finger in his chest. "You forfeit the match because you said something to him."

Hisoka grinned, freeing Vividus from his arms and placing his hands on his hips. "I just told him something that might have benefitted him. That's all."

Not liking his tone of voice, Vividus grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her level, staring deeply into his golden hues. "You better not involve him with our plans."

Given that he was taller than the Kurta woman, he was impressed by how Vividus forced him down to her level. Gently placing his hand on top of her own, he forced Vividus to release his shirt.

Now holding her hand in his own. "Hate to break it to you, but he's going to get involved whether you like it or not~." With that, he lifted her hand up and planted a small kiss on the top of her hand. Causing the Kurta woman to twitch in annoyance. "No matter how much you want to protect your beloved brother, you can't shield him forever."

Hisoka licked his lips, his lips now curling into a sinister grin as the thought of the Kurta siblings fighting the Phantom Troupe made him tremble in delight.

"Just like you: he is destined to fight the Phantom Troupe. He wants blood, Vivi-chan. So when the battle goes down, I am curious to see who is going to make the first kill: You...or _Kura-chan_."

Vividus was about to reply, but she was cut off by someone coughing awkwardly. It turned out it was none other than Netero himself. Looking at the Jester and the Kurta woman with a grin on his face.

"My, am I interrupting?" Netero asked, tilting his head as he was curious.

"No, you're not chairman~." Hisoka replied as she let go of Vividus's hand. "Vividus and I were just wrapping up our conversation. I'm about to leave now."

"What a shame. You two are having a vital conversation!" He exclaimed, laughing wholeheartedly.

Vividus shakes her head at Hisoka's statement and looks up at him with a narrowed gaze. "We're not done yet," she says.

"But I am." He teased, starting to walk away from Vividus and Netero. "I shall take my leave, thank you for making the exam... _entertaining_ Chairman~."

Vividus tried to reach out to stop Hisoka, but he slipped out of her sight before she could catch him. She let out a frustrated growl and stomped her feet. "Damn that, Jester!"

Hearing the old man laugh from behind, she looked at him with lips pouting. "It's not funny, Oji-san."

"Sorry, Young one, it's rather entertaining for me," Netero said, starting to walk down the hall. "Come along with me." He waved at Vividus, motioning for her to follow him.

Vividus hesitated for a moment, staring at the old man. _'How much did he hear?'_ She started to wonder why Netero was there. Then she jogged up to his side and followed him through the corridor.

Netero turned his gaze toward Vividus and asked, "Now that you've obtained your license, what's your plan?"

"My plan hasn't changed, I'm still going to hunt down the Phantom Troupe," Vividus said bluntly, shoving her hands in her pockets. "But first...the boys and I are going on a rescue mission to get Killua back. Once we do that, I'll resume my plan."

Netero blinked, intrigued. "So you still want to pursue him despite what he did?"

She nodded, fiddling with the glass jar in her pocket. "Yes. As sad as seeing an innocent applicant die in this way...I will always value Killua, no matter what."

"Even if he's from a family of assassins?" Netero asked.

"Even if he's from a family of assassins." She repeated, feeling a bit of deja-vu. Shaking it off, she would look over at Netero. "I love the kid unconditionally. I know he has the potential to grow into a sort-hearted individual like Gon. I know Killua has room to grow, he just needs a chance."

She heard a soft chuckle escape his lips, "You must really believe in change, don't you, dear?"

"Yes," She replied, gripping the glass jar slightly in her pocket. "But I also have come to realize that not everyone is willing to change. Some refuse to do better because they believe change is ineffective."

Remember what Chrollo told her so many years ago, she felt a tug on the corner of her lips. She wanted to frown, but she didn't want to worry the old man. Vividus would pull a hand from the side of her pocket and scratch the side of her cheek in thought. "The point is I want to help the guys regain Killua. The kid deserves better than it is as an assassin."

Netero looked at her with a soft look. "You must truly care about Killua, don't you?"

Vividus nodded her head, remembering her fondest memories of her time with Killua. Netero would see her bright smile in a moment.

"I do, if it wasn't for him...I wouldn't be able to get my life back on track and reunited with my brother. I owe him that much. I can't leave him behind, knowing he's miserable. I don't think I can live with myself if I don't at least try. I already lost Kurapika once, I refuse to lose anyone else."

"I see, you must have a soft spot for children then." Netero said, "What about Kurapika? How does he feel about your relationship between you and Killua?"

"And what about him?" Vividus asked curiously. "I love him just as much, Oji-san. Kurapika was my motivation to become stronger, let alone the only family member I have left. My affection for him is just as strong."

Netero stopped in his steps, staring at the Kurta woman and not saying a word. Vividus simply replied the stare. Vividus felt that he was trying to figure out what she was like, trying to read her character.

_‘Did I say something wrong?’_ She asked herself.

The Old man was intrigued by the conversation that was exchanged with Vividus. Hearing such kind words is something he rarely hears nowadays. Knowing that most of the time: people aren't willing to stand by their comrades, especially in a place filled with monsters.

"Vividus," Netero remarked to her seriously. "You seem to be a very interesting child. I hope one day you will consider working alongside me."

Vividus's eyes widened in shock as his words sank in. "You...want me to work with you?"

" _Alongsid_ e me, there is a difference." He replied smirking.

"Oji-san, why me? I'm sure you know other hunters who are better than me in terms of skill and experience," she stared at him, unmoved by his words.

"You have potential Vividus," Netero started, placing his hand on top of her shoulder. "There is much more you can do in this lifetime and I am not going to stop you from becoming a blacklist hunter. However, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. I believe that it would be fun to work together with you."

He let go of her shoulder, pointing at a pair of orange doors. "Past those doors are the boys. Thank you for letting me talk to you like this. I will take my leave now."

She nodded her head in understanding. As he was about to leave, she gave him a respectful bow, and he saw that huge smile on her face. "Thank you for your time, Oji. I look forward to reaching out to you when it's convenient."

Netero gave one last soft chuckle, as he waved his hands at the platinum blonde and parted ways with her. "It's my pleasure, good luck!"

With that, the old man disappeared out of her sight.

Opening the large doors, she would appear at the top level of the lobby and see the trio at the bottom. Talking among themselves, they were planning to buy tickets to their destination.

"It's going to take three days by airship to reach Kuroro mountain," Kurapika said in thought. "When should we leave?"

"Right now!" Gon exclaimed happily. "The sooner we can get to Killua, the better!"

Kurapika smiled, starting to type in the information on the computer. "Alright, how many tickets should I book for then? Three?"

On cue, Vividus would walk down the stairs, pointing upward with four fingers as she approached the boys with a toothy grin. "Make that four."

All of the boys looked to see where the voice was coming from when they saw Vividus. Gon jumped up and gave a tight hug to the woman while Leorio and Kurapika turned to look at his sister with a welcoming smile.

"Vivi-nee! I'm so happy to see that you want to join us!" Gon exclaimed, looking up at her with sparkling eyes.

Vividus ruffled Gon's hair "Of course! Plus wouldn't miss it for the world. I have to beat some sense into that kid."

Leorio glanced over at Vividus with a sweatdrop on his forehead. "Seriously? Is that really necessary?"

The woman looked at the tall man, giving him a thumbs up. "Extremely necessary."

Kurapika typed in the new information and booked tickets for all four of them. "Alright, I got them! We should leave now then."

Smiling brightly, she let go of Gon and embraced Kurapika from behind. Giving him an awkward brother hug as Kurapika blushed in embarrassment. "Look at all that you've accomplished; my Kura-chan is so smart now."

Kurapika tried to ease his sister's grip, but she was just too strong. "Oh, so now we can call each other by our nicknames? Onee-san, let go!"

Vividus shook her head, "Well then, I must be getting old if you're not calling me chan anymore!" She kissed the back of his head. "I'll never let you go~.”

Leorio coughed awkwardly, scratching the side of his cheek to see the woman so suddenly affectionate towards Kurapika. By the sounds of it, Vividus had a feeling Kurapika told Leorio and Gon about them being related. "Come on guys! You guys and talk later, we need to go."

She let Kurapika go. They all walked out of the building and started heading toward the airport.

Looking over at Leorio, Vividus couldn't help but smile; despite his odd behaviour at times, he had a caring nature.

Gon, who is only twelve years old and already managed to win many hearts around him. Something about him just makes him so special that he'll be able to grow alongside Killua.

Finally, there's her baby brother: Kurapika. As he grew up much faster than she did, she was saddened to have missed growing up with him. However, now that she found him, she doesn't feel alone anymore, knowing someone close survived the massacre.

After everything that happened, she felt that her journey as a new hunter was just beginning. Her first objective: to save Killua.

> **"Alright boys, now what is the plan?"**

* * *

**Hello everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying the story so far!**

**Are all of you doing well during the pandemic?**

**I definitely had a fun time writing out the Hunter Exams Arc, I have so much planned for the future chapters!**

**Thank you so much for those who gave me kudos and love. I appreciate you all on so many levels!**

**That's all I wanted to say,**

**Have a wonderful day you lovely readers <3**

**[Art by: @sp_ha_ on twitter!]**

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	26. Mission x Success

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - S I X** _

**When the whole event was complete with the Gatekeeper (known as Zebro),**

he explained the situation with the watchdog Mike and how it was ordered to kill any intruders. A couple of questions from the boys ensued as they asked how the Gatekeeper was not hurt.

Once Zebro explained the situation in more detail: it became apparent that the old man was not a gatekeeper. He was more of a custodian who cleaned up after Mike's mess.

Before Vividus and the others were invited to come back to Zebro's quarters, the Kurta woman wanted to test out her strength and attempted to open the Testing Gates.

Even though Kurapika was against it, everyone convinced him that his sister will be fine. Since Vividus was going to do it regardless of Kurapika's permission, the blonde teenager sighed in defeat.

Vividus was able to open Four Gates with ease and everyone was shocked by her strength, especially Kurapika. He didn't realize Vividus had grown stronger over the years when they were apart. The blonde was curious about what Vividus did to grow stronger.

Zebro introduced everyone to Mike and to Seaquant, who, even though he was quiet, seemed to have a lot of respect for Zebro. Especially when he allowed everyone into the servant's quarters.

At that time, Zebro and Seaquant tried to explain to Gon that it would be challenging to get Killua back. However, from what Vividus noticed, Gon was steadfast on his commitment, refusing to leave unless he at least saw Killua once.

Seeing how strong his resolve is in getting Killua back, she was happy to see that the white-haired boy obtained a great friend such as Gon.

Zebro sat near Gon, while Vividus sat between Kurapika and Leorio. Zebro explained more about the estate as Gon was touched by his words. Zebro offered something to the boys even though Seaquant was hesitant.

"Listen, Gon, why don't you three train, then?" Zebro asked, looking over at the boys and then at Vividus. "Out of the four of you, only Vividus can open the gates without help.

If you intend to earn the family's respect, all three of you must pass through the gate. The three of you can work together as a team to open the gate, but unfortunately, Vividus cannot assist you three."

Leorio pouted, "Why not? We weren't attacked by Mike when we passed through the gate with you. Why can't we do the same with Vividus?"

Zebro shook his head, "That was only because you were with me. If you rely on Vividus's strength to make it through the Zoldyck Estate, you won't last long. I feel the young lady could only do so much for you guys."

Kurapika looked over at Vividus, "What are your thoughts?"

Picking up the heavy teacup, she took a sip. "I have no problem with this. If anything, this will help you all grow stronger."

Zebro smiled at Vividus's comment. "Thank you miss, and I agree: with a bit of training, this should be possible. How about it?"

Gon was silent for a while; he stared at the table in deep thought before replying. "I don't like being tested..." Then he glanced over at Kurapika.

Kurapika nodded his head and started the middle of Gon's sentence. "But if there is no other way..."

Leorio finished their last words. "We will just have to do it!"

Zebro smirked and got up from his seat and started browsing through the closet. "Perfect, during this training: I need you all to put this on."

Taking out three vests, he handed one vest to each boy. Once they have the vests in their possession, Leorio struggled to stand up due to the weight of them. "How is this so heavy?"

Eyeing the boys, Vividus would smirk and watch them struggle to hold their vests. Zebro would hold up the vest and explain,

"I will make the vests heavier as you get used to it." He smiled at the boys, holding them up with a warm smile. "As you get used to it, I will make the vest heavier."

Leorio groaned after hearing Zebro's plan.

At that point, training had begun for the boys. After finishing her tea, Vividus left the room. "I'm going to relax on my own for a bit. If you need me: call me."

"How come she doesn't need to train with us?" Leorio shouted weakly, pointing at Vividus.

"She opened the fourth gate," Zebro said, pointing to the Kurta woman. "Vividus doesn't need training. While you guys struggle, she knows how to handle the items in this house. She is excused."

Vividus made a cat-like face at Leorio, causing an angry vein to pop out of his head. "Exactly, I had my fair share of training."

Leorio asked, stomping his foot on the ground and pointing towards the blonde. “You don't look strong at all!” he yelled.

When Leorio uttered an insult towards Vividus, she didn't take it kindly at all. As Vividus appeared in front of the tall man, she swept around and knocked Leorio to the ground with her legs. Vividus landed on his stomach and sat up on top of Leorio's back: bringing his arm and pinning it behind him.

Hearing Leorio starts shrieking in panic, he turned to face Vividus, only to see her hazel-grey eyes bore deep into his own brown tones.

“What I learned during my travels,” Vividus said, narrowing her eyes, “is never judge someone based on their appearance. You never know who could prove you wrong. I hope you’ll take this as a lesson for yourself, Leorio Paradinight.”

Hearing her speak his full name made the rookie hunter swallow nervously. Nodding his head in understanding. No longer shouting in panic, he placed his head against the floorboard and let out a sigh of defeat.

“Sorry Vividus, I didn’t mean to disrespect you that way.” He said candidly, “I promise I won’t do that again. To be honest...I probably deserve a kick in the rear for that.”

After saying these words, her bodyweight no longer rests upon his own. Instead, he saw her grasping his arm and helping him up. Seeing their eyes again, he saw no longer the unreadable expression but rather, a warm smile.

“You are forgiven.”

Looking at the rest of the males in the room, she noticed everyone had a shocked expression on their faces. Everyone was trying to process what just transpired. Two of the workers looked stunned, Gon had a look of awe and her younger brother looked like he had mixed emotions.

He was shocked to see her move so quickly. He didn’t realize that the time they spent apart from each other in the village had made her grow so much.In a way, the poor Kurta male was intimidated by it. Clutching his fists together, he realized that he had a long way to go before he could reach her level of strength.

But of course, Vividus had no idea that was how her younger brother felt. So when women no longer wanted to be the center of attention, she made awkward coughs and walked toward the door.

“I’m going for a walk. Good luck on your training boys!”

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Leorio and Kurapika have been training hard because of Gon's injuries from the hunter's exam. However, he wasn't able to train as much as he wanted due to the injuries he sustained.

Whenever it was night time, Gon would sneak outside at night to train alone. During that time, Vividus would hide and watch Gon train from a distance to make sure that the injured boy doesn't get hurt.

Vividus was pleased with how hard Gon is working to catch up with the others. He didn't want to be left behind. He thought this whole training business is a waste of time to see his friend. She doesn't blame him for thinking that way.

Every night he trains, he is always determined to reach Killua. Every time he falls over, Vividus would often look at his injured arm. She frowned, looking down at her scarred palm. _'Should I?'_

Even after a short time, Gon and Killua became very close...that alone made Vividus relieved that her kiddo finally had a friend. Always doing his best to become stronger, despite his injuries.

In spite of Killua’s past and his family history, Gon never once looked away from him as a person. Because he saw him as who he really is, that is something that is not easy to do in this world. Having observed him for the past few days, she is finally beginning to see why people are willing to protect Gon, why Kurapika and Leorio didn't hesitate to help Gon bring Killua back.

Observing everything unfold before her, this reminded her of the time with Pairo. Despite Kurapika's attitude towards the Chieftain (other than her), Pairo was always by her little brother's side. Supporting him, being there through thick and thin.

Vividus is grateful to be able to see this kind of friend in action again. She’s delighted to know someone like Gon exists in this world.

If Pairo was still alive, Gon, Killua, and him would’ve definitely gotten along.

After watching Gon for so long, Vividus decided to intervene. "You're not supposed to be training, right?" Vividus roared from above, causing him to fall over.

"V-Vividus-nee! How long have you been sitting here?" Gon asked, looking up at Vividus in shame.

Jumping down from the tree branch, she looked at Gon with a smirk. "Long enough."

Sitting down in front of Gon, the woman crossed her legs and looked at him. "Remove your bandages."

Gon looked at Vividus very confused, placing himself in front of her with a questionable look on his face. "Why?"

She took out a switch-knife she had borrowed from Zebro and placed the sharp blade on her palm. "I'm going to heal you," she said.

Gon glanced nervously at the knife. He didn't like what he saw. However, given everything they'd been through together and how Killua and Kurapika trusted her with their lives, he knew something special about her.

Taking off the bandages, one could see his broken arm and a couple of cuts from the battle with Hanzo. He looked up at Vividus, nodding as he is now ready to take on whatever Vividus has in store. "I trust you."

She gave her hand a slight squeeze before a small cut appeared. At first, Gon threatened to protest. However, he was thrown off guard when he saw her eyes were no longer hazel-grey eyes. They were now a pair of warm scarlet eyes.

Gon only saw Kurapika's when he was feeling negative emotions or frustrated about something. But seeing his older sister's eyes in a better setting was beautiful to him. Seeing the scarlet eyes in a different light made his heart flutter.

Feeling the energy around her, she closed her eyes and placed her hand on Gon's arm, her aura glowing green. Looking down, all Gon could see was blood flowing from her hands. It began to attach itself to Gon's injured arm.

"After I do this," Vividus announced, opening one eye and looking at the boy. "I won't be able to wake up for two days. I expect you and the boys to have Killua back by then."

"Huh?! Why two days? You're supposed to come with us to bring Killua back!" Gon asked suspiciously, frowning because he doesn't like what's going on. "Please stop! You have to come with us to bring Killua back!"

Vividus soothed the boy, giving him a reassuring smile. Confusing the boy because he did not understand what she was talking about, "I trust you'll bring Killua back. I know the kiddo will understand."

Immediately the blood surrounding Gon's arm started glowing brightly. It was so bright that the boy could not look at it because it was so blinding. Once the glowing finally faded, the boy looked down to see his arm was fully recovered with no signs of the injury or the pain. He lifted his arm and started moving it around, surprised to see that the damage had vanished the moment he lifted it. The arm was fully healed.

Looking over at Vividus, he was about to ask her many questions about what just happened. However, by the time he saw her, she was already passed out on the grass, sleeping peacefully after she performed that ability.

He was amazed to learn that there is magic in the world. As unsettling as the blood part was, he looked at Vividus with sparkling eyes in awe and admiration.

He wrapped her palm in a cloth from his arm holder. Lifting her up from the ground, he lifted her back to their bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. Finally, removing her shoes and tucking her into bed.

"Thank you, Vividus-nee. Now I'll be able to train with Kurapika and Leorio without holding back," said Gon, smiling. Planting a small kiss on the side of her cheek, "I promise you I'll bring Killua back."

He noticed that Vividus was shifting a fair amount, and saw a smile on her lips. Feeling happy, Gon decided to call it a night as he has a long training session with Leorio and Kurapika tomorrow.

Not only he has to bring back Killua;

> **but he now has a promise to keep to Vividus.**

* * *

_A familiar white-haired boy tugged on my hand, I noticed he was taking me towards a large structure shining brightly. Blinking a few times, I stared up at the structure and couldn't help but swallow nervously. I had never heard of anything like it._

'Is this...a dream?' _I asked myself._

_Inspecting the large machine before me, it looked like a giant vertical revolving wheel, with small passenger cars suspended on it’s outer edge._

'No,' _I thought,_ 'It's a memory.'

_I remember this was during the time when Killua brought me to an amusement park for the first time. After all of the fun activities, we did throughout the day, he wanted to ride a Ferris Wheel. To be honest, it was quite embarrassing not knowing what a Ferris Wheel is at the time._

_Before meeting Killua, I had never left the tower. I only left the place to pick up groceries and necessities. So going to the park with the Zoldyck child was new to me._

_Originally, I intended to back out of the ride and pass on it. But of course, when Killua heard me trying to back out of it he gave me that adorable puppy dog look. He pouted and used his adorable demeanour against me._

_As you can see…_

_He won._

_I let out a small sigh, “I can’t believe I got roped into this” I said._

_He said, “Come on, the ride’s not so bad! Trust me, the view will be amazing.”_

_“I don’t know, Killua,” I replied, my lips trembling nervously as I watched the amusement park attendant close the passenger door. “I don’t know how I feel about being trapped so high up and thousands of feet above the ground.”_

_In response to my words, Killua burst into laughter, holding his sides and howling. Furrowing my eyebrows together, I crossed my arms over my chest. Feeling somewhat ashamed by his sudden outburst. Due to how focused I was on the boy, I didn’t realize the Ferris Wheel started to move._

_“What’s so funny!?” I asked, staring at the Zoldyck child._

_“You, Onee-chan!” Killua beamed as he wiped his tears away with his sleeve. “You’re just...hilarious.”_

_“I don’t see how you can find humour in my words,” I added, raising an eyebrow._

_“It’s just...different to see this side of you,” Killua confessed, “For a Floor Master such as yourself I find it funny you’re nervous to be on this thing.”_

_“Can you blame me?” I asked, leaning into the seat more. “I'd never left the tower unless I needed to get groceries, so this amusement park is just a whole new experience.”_

_“And?” He asked, smiling a bit more. “Did you have fun at least?”_

_Watching him lean forward towards me, I noticed he had a hopeful look in his eyes. The reason why we are out in an amusement park in the first place was because Killua wanted to spend time with me, somewhere else other than the cafes, restaurants or the tower._

_We ate funnel cake, rode roller coasters, and even explored mazes. What made this experience the most memorable was playing games at the arcade and carnival games._

_Although sitting in my room seemed more comfortable, going outside for a change was actually...fun._

_I answered honestly with a warm smile, “You know what my favourite part about today was?”_

_“What?” He asked, tilting his head to the side._

_I would reach my hand out and grab the kid by his side, giving him a warm hug. I would giggle and pet his head as I snuggled my face into his hair._

_“Spending time with you.”_

_Looking up, his bright blue eyes widened in shock. This was the first time in a long time I had seen him look so flustered. I didn't realize what I asked would make him blush, which made it even more adorable._

_“...I’m glad,” he stammered, feeling his body relax into my arms. “That’s all I wanted from today – for you to have fun.”_

_As he shifted out of my grasp, he sat beside me. Pulling my arm close to him, I paused and he tugged my arm to lookout the window. I followed his finger and stared out the window. I gasped as I didn’t expect to see the view before me._

_The view outside of the window was beautiful and different. Looking out the window, I was able to see the whole city from here. The lights were blazing brightly, and shortly, fireworks started going off._

_Finally, I understood why he wanted me here. To witness a beautiful sight._

_“Wow...” I exclaimed in amazement, “You were right my child. This ride was well worth it.”_

_“Good!” He exclaimed, resting his head on my shoulder and gazing at the view. “I’m glad you like it.”_

_Soon, the Ferris wheel stopped, and Killua and I sat in silence while we watched the fireworks go off in the sky. Listening to the loud explosions and watching the beautiful artwork in the sky. It was definitely a memorable moment._

_“Hey Onee-chan, may I ask you something?” he asked._

_I replied, “What’s up?”_

_He asked in a sad tone, catching me off guard with his question. “Do you think...I’ll ever make a friend?”_

_Looking back at him with a frown, I felt my eyes widen in shock. “That’s such an odd question, why do you ask?”_

_Killua was silent for a moment, not wanting to say anything at first. Then, with the saddest look on his face, he would look directly at me. Seeing that expression on his face was so...heartbreaking._

_“I feel like...no one would ever be friends with someone who is a murderer.” He said, “You are the only person who accepted me besides Alluka.”_

_Biting his lower lip, I watched him clutch his hand into a first. Looking down at the ground with his eyebrows furrowed together. His mind started to fill with anxiety and doubt._

_“I’m afraid nobody will want to be friends with me because I’m a Zoldyck. I’m scared I won’t be able to find someone as kind as you once I leave. Who would want to befriend a murderer?”_

_As he said those final words, I saw tears starting to form in his eyes, but he was trying his best to keep them under control._

_Not being able to bear this any longer, I would wrap my arm around his small frame. Hugging the child as if I was scared to break him. As I ran my fingers through his white hair, I began to soothe him as lovingly as I could._

_Killua was caught off guard as his body stiffened in response._

_“Killua, it won’t always be this way,” I said softly. “Maybe not now, or even a few years from now. But someday, someone will accept you for who you are.”_

_Pulling back briefly, I would look down and lift his chin up one more time. Our eyes connect once more, but this time all Killua would see are my bright scarlet eyes, peering deeply into his own blue hues._

_I laughed a little, “So honestly, I hope you meet someone unexpectedly. Because unexpected friendships are always the best ones. Look, what happened between us?” I told him._

_“Y-You think that I will?” Killua asked softly, tears now escaping his eyes. "What if you're wrong? What if Illumi is right and no one wants to be friends with me?”_

_“Screw what your brother thinks of you,” I replied, hugging him once more. “I know you will make some friends one day. I know it.”_

_“You think so?” He repeated. As if he were afraid to ask again._

_“I know so.” I replied confidently, “And when you do, I’m sure you two will become the best of friends.”_

* * *

Slowly opening her eyes, Vividus realized the sun was shining directly into her line of view. Letting out a small hiss, she lifted her arm to shade her eyes from the glare.

"What a dream," Vividus murmured to herself, getting up out of bed and stretching her body out to see where she was. She was in the servant's quarters, where Zebro and Seaquant live.

She would turn her attention to see the middle-aged man standing there. Holding a tray full of water and a headcloth, he grins brightly to see the platinum-blonde has finally awoken.

"Good morning, Vividus!" He chirped, walking over to her bedside and placing the tray on the nightstand. "Rest well, I hope?"

She would nod her head in response. "Yes! I feel much better, actually." She replied, looking around. "How long have I been out for?"

"Exactly two days," he explained, pulling a nearby chair and sitting by her side. "I must admit when Master Killua says you bedridden: I never saw him freak out like that before.”

Vividus widens her eyes in surprise, looking at the old man with a new smile on her face. “Worried? You mean they brought back Killua?”

“That’s right Miss,” He replied, returning the smile. “Come and grab your things. I think the boys are waiting for you downstairs-”

He saw the Kurta woman jump out of bed right in the midst of his words. As fast as she could, she left the room and ran downstairs, leaving him alone in the room. As he saw her run off like that, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Such an interesting bunch.” He said, following behind Vividus.

She glanced down once she reached the top of the stairs, watching the scene unfold before her. She saw a familiar white-haired boy laughing with Gon. As they laughed, they both looked over at Leorio and said something. Whatever they said, it must have triggered Leorio to leap out of his seat in annoyance. Meanwhile, Kurapika was just standing and watching with a smirk placed on his lips.

She saw Killua talking to the boys like this, and her heart warmed up. She no longer saw him the reserved boy she knew back at the tower. The boy she sees now is an entirely different person. Especially around Gon.

Killua finally has friends he can call his own.

In noticing that his Sister was up, Kurapika would silence the boys and command them to look up. Everyone followed Kurapika's gaze to see what he was looking at.

Looking up, they could see Vividus’ eyes glistening with tears as she ran to Killua with open arms. As she extended her arms, he leapt forward and hugged her back. Both threw themselves onto the floor as they laughed together.

“Kiddo! You're here!” Vividus exclaimed, not wanting to let go of the white-haired child.

"Onee-chan, I can't breathe!" He breathed, looking up at Vividus with an embarrassed expression on his face. “Let me go!”

“Never!” Vividus exclaimed, “If I do, you’ll leave me again!”

“I promise I won’t leave like that again!” He yelled, “Let me go already! You’re embarrassing me!”

“Good! Maybe that’s your punishment for leaving us like that.”

At that point, everyone in the room started laughing at the sight. As Killua struggled to escape the grasp of the Kurta woman, he finally surrendered and embraced the woman again.

Looking up, he gave a concerned look to Vividus. "I heard from Gon that you healed him...you used Heal Pulse, didn't you?"

"I did," She replied, tilting her head to the side. "Is there an issue?"

"Yes! You idiot!" He exclaimed, wiggling his hand out and poking her cheek. "You know how dangerous that ability is, so why did you use it?!"

Vividus explained, poking his forehead with her finger, "I wanted to heal him, as he was a vulnerable situation without it. Besides, he promised to take care of you, so it was worth it."

Killua stared at her, startled by her kind words. "You...really think I'm worth it?"

Vividus snuggled into the boy once more and wrapped her arms around him again. "You are worth risking my life for, Kiddo."

Having heard a couple of people snicker, Vividus looked up to see Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio looming over them. Feeling her smile beam towards them, she slowly got up from the ground while helping Killua up.

As the boys stared at Vividus, they too suddenly got tackled and hugged to the ground. They all screamed in surprise and groaned in response to the mad woman's body on top of their own.

“W-what are you doing?” Leorio grunted, looking at Vividus.

“O-Onee-san was this really necessary?” Kurapika also asked, sweat dropping a bit at her sudden again.

“Yes,” she said, looking at them from above, with a look of thanks and gratitude on her face. “Thank you guys.”

“For what Vivi-nee?” Gon asked innocently, his bright hazel eyes peering into Vividus’s Hazel-grey ones.

Her attention is drawn back to the young boy, she gave him a warm smile. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at him with gratitude.

> **“For rescuing Killua.”**


	27. Questions

> _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - S E V E N** _

**After leaving the Zoldyck estate,**

Vividus and the others are back in the main city. Sitting on the train, Vividus sat between Kurapika and Killua, while Leorio and Gon sat on the other end. Everyone was chatting up a storm and telling Killua what had happened after he left. How Gon was stubborn and refused to use his license until he defeated Hisoka and gave back his tag.

The thought of Hisoka hitting Gon like that was certainly something the Jester would do. Sweating a bit, she would sigh knowing it is all part of his plan for Gon to become stronger and fight him.

"Do you even know where Hisoka is?" Killua asked. Gon laughed nervously in response. "I'll take that as a no...

Vividus placed her hand under her chin, thinking about where Hisoka might be. Having the idea of where he might be, she was about to speak, but Kurapika cut her off.

"I know where he is."

Leorio raised an eyebrow, "You do?"

"Yeah," Kurapika replied, "He told me."

Platinum-blonde felt her stomach turn. She looked nervously over at her brother, worried about where this is going. "Was that what he told you during the fight?"

"No, this was after the exam," Kurapika replied, his eyes closed as if he was in thought.

"I've been itching to ask..." Leorio started, "But what did he say to you?"

Kurapika observed the group with serious eyes as the atmosphere suddenly grew dark. However, his attention was mostly focused on Vividus.

"He told me that he has some information regarding the spider."

Her heart dropped a bit more. Kurapika went into great detail about how he didn't recall mentioning the Phantom troupe to Hisoka or anyone else outside the group. Narrowing her eyes, she stared directly at the ground.

"I don't recall mentioning the Phantom Troupe to Hisoka. So either he overheard us during the first stage, or he heard it somewhere else."

Vividus bit her lip nervously. Knowing full well that the reason Hisoka told her brother in the first place was simply because of her. Her memories replayed in her head of how Hisoka told her she could not protect her younger brother forever. She failed on her end for not being able to enforce it sooner, let alone putting off the conversation since the Exam began. She started to feel less and less confident about herself as he talked about the troupe.

"The spider symbolizes the Phantom Troupe, so those familiar with the organization refer to them as such. I was interested in the information."

Her mind felt a bit dizzy hearing Kurapika speak about the Troupe. She could only remember Chrollo and what the others did to her. How Pakunoda was ordered by Chrollo to keep her memories locked away. Anything related to Kurapika, her clan, and the Troupe themselves. 

"Before the orientation, I asked him about it. He told me he would be in Yorknew City on September first."

Leorio's ears perked again, his eyebrow raised. "Wait...us? What did he mean by that?"

At that time, Vividus stood up from her spot. The boys looked at one another puzzled by her sudden action. Clutching her fists, she stared at the ground in frustration.

"He was referring to me and Kurapika," Vividus said. Looking directly at Kurapika with a serious expression. "He knows you and I want to hunt the spiders, so that's why he said _us_."

Kurapika frowned. Why was she suddenly upset? "Onee-san, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Vividus replied, getting up from her seat. "I'm just going to take a break for a bit. You may go on with your conversation without me."

Killua wanted to follow Vividus to see if she was ok, but she told him that she's fine. The boy didn't believe one-word Vividus said but determined it was best to let it go and move on.

Everyone else was confused by her sudden outburst. Leorio looked over to Kurapika with a worried expression on his face. "Is your sister ok?"

The blonde teen frowned, not sure what suddenly happened to his older sister. Looking at the spot where Vividus used to sit, he shook his head and said, "I...don't know."

**~.: Kurapika:.~**

Once everyone arrived at the airport, everyone became separated and reconvened at Yorknew City for the World's Auction on September 1st. With Leorio staying home so he could obtain his medical license, Killua and Gon headed to Heavens Arena.

As for Vividus and Kurapika, both have decided to spend some time together and catch up now that they both have their Hunter's licenses. The first stop they decided to make was back home to the Kurta Clan.

Before the siblings separated from the others, Kurapika could tell Vividus was upset over earlier discussions regarding the world's auction, the phantom troupe, and how Hisoka gave Kurapika information concerning the spiders.

Kurapika wanted to talk to his sister to see what was on her mind. However, he thought it would be better when they got home. Irritably, she seemed sad, quiet or angry every time he talked about it.

Thanks to their hunter's license's benefits, they were able to travel back to their home village and arrived there in a matter of days. The first thing they did when they entered the village went back to their childhood home and patched up the old place. Despite the damage that was laid out throughout their old home, it was still habitable enough to sleep in for a couple of days. Fixing up the damages was easy.

Once they finished fixing up their old house everything went back to its old places; the kitchen looked brand new and the bedrooms were neatly made. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Since they got home, neither of them had talked too much about how they got separated. They were either too busy trying to fix up their old home, or neither of them knew how to bring it up. The siblings would talk about anything but her disappearance. Kurapika was getting nervous. He knew he should mention it, but his Sister would keep it to herself.

As time passed, just a few days had passed since they returned. Today was simply time for both of them to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Looking around the hut, Kurapika was unable to find his sister anywhere.

He heard some noises coming from the hut’s roof, so he started to make his way to the roof. Chuckling softly, he now knew where his sister was.

Kurapika climbed onto the roof to see his sister watching the sunset. The wind blowing gently through her hair as she held a cup of coffee. She looked like she had a lot on her mind.

Walking towards her, Kurapika would sit next to his sister. Having a cup of hot tea in his hand and decided to watch the sunset with his sister. They haven't done something like this for a long time and it was a beautiful thing to watch the sunset together.

Kurapika looked over and could see that Vividus had not said a word. By the way she was tapping on her cup, it appeared she was nervous. His younger brother admitted to himself as well that he was just as nervous as she was.

Especially since Vividus admitted that he thought he was dead, let alone vice versa.

Kurapika took a sip of his tea and sighed a little. The blonde teen decided to summon up enough courage to bring the subject up. No one was going to stop them now that they were alone.

"Onee-san, I think it's about time we talk about it," Kurapika said, taking his eyes away from the sunset and looking to his older sister.

Upon hearing the tap stop, Vividus paused to take a sip of her coffee. She stayed silent for a bit, clearly looking hesitant to speak about it. Which was very unusual for her since she's not someone who gets scared easily. But she soon let out a small sigh and looked up at Kurapika as if she were in a trance.

She did not say anything, but by her expression, it was clear that she is ready to answer any questions Kurapika may have for her. But what do you say? What do you ask someone who you thought was dead all this time?

He remembers her sending him and their parent's letters so she could update them on what was happening in her life. Her thoughts, feelings, and sent photos of her adventures. Every time he read them, it was like she was right there.

He did not expect that day to witness the horrific sight of his family, comrades, and friends’ eyes gouged out among the carnage. He expected to see the body of his sister among them as she mentioned she was going to visit them at that time.

But Vividus's body wasn't found when the Clan was slaughtered, so he did everything he could to discover where his older sister was. At such a young age, he sought answers, but there were none.

After many years of answers being left unsaid, he assumed that she was dead like everyone else. He thought accepting her death would make his life easier and just make him solely focused on revenge against the spiders. He did everything he could to become stronger.

Kurapika had a lot in mind when he received his Hunter License. First, he wanted to find out what happened to Vividus, and then he wanted to hunt the Phantom Troupe as a Blacklist hunter for revenge.

However, everything changed when he encountered his older sister at the Hunters exams. That was the last place he was expecting to see her. Seeing his older sister who he thought was dead, turned out to be alive and well. 

As much as he was happy to see her alive, the time spent together was short and he wasn’t able to fully process her being there. He had so much mixed emotions, watching her behaviour didn’t seem to help either. 

If anything, more questions arise more than ever.

He doesn't know where to begin. What was her weird relationship with Hisoka? Why are Killua and Vividus we're so close to one another? As much as he hates to admit, seeing how close she was with the Zoldyck child made him a bit jealous. But he didn't want to show that side of him. He knows she has her reasons.

Nevertheless, seeing them so close still made his chest tighten.

Finally, after so many questions, he tried to ask his older sister. He figured out the question he wanted to ask her first. His Grey eyes bore deep into her Hazel-Grey eyes. When he finally summoned up his courage, he was able to figure out the perfect question to start off this conversation.

> **"What happened to you?"**


	28. Answer

_**[AN: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading up to this point! I truly appreciate you all! I highly recommend playing this song when reading this chapter. Happy reading~]** _

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>  _**C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - E I G H T** _   
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**_"What happened to you?"_ **

Vividus's question seemed to echo through Vividus's mind, as she felt her heart head heavy, her breathing became raspy, her head started to hurt. The Kurta woman is unsure of why his question made her afraid.

"You said you'd tell me everything that happened when we were alone," Kurapika said, looking at his older sister.

"I-I know," Vividus stammered, holding the side of her head. "I just don't know where to start."

Kurapika held his chin in thought, understanding that it is indeed a deep topic to delve into. "Alright, let's start with something easy then. How did you come to know Killua and Hisoka before the exam?"

Vividus chirped, "I met Killua during my time at Heaven's Arena. He was really young when I met him. He told me that his family didn't want him back until he reached the 200th floor...so I helped train him." She giggled a bit, remembering her fondest memories of Killua as a child. "He was an interesting child, he was a lot like you when you were young."

"In what way?" asked her brother.

"He was stubborn, defiant, and soft. Just like you!"

Kurapika punched her shoulder lightly. They both laughed. They talked about how pleasant it was when everyone was still alive.

Talking about their best memories with their parents, Pairo, and their young days. Vividus replied to questions about how she knew Killua. Which led to Vividus talking about her experiences at Heavens Arena and how she made it as a floor master.

During this time, Vividus also talked about her old Master, Biscuit, and how she taught her to be a strong fighter when she left the village. In return, Kurapika spoke about where he has been and his adventures. They were both looking forward to this reunion.

It was a heartwarming conversation.

"So how does Hisoka fit in with all this? You two seem well-...acquainted."

Vividus spat out a small sigh of annoyance. "I also met Hisoka in Heavens Arena. He saw my battles and ever since then...he's wanted to fight me. We're hardly acquainted. He still has his good moments, but...I don't like how unpredictable and selfish he is." She looked at Kurapika seriously. "So whatever information he has for you, don't rely on it. I don't trust him one bit."

"Is that why you acted out on the train?" Her brother asked, Vividus nodding in response.

"Yeah...I'm sorry Kura-chan, but you have no idea how dangerous spiders can be. You have no idea what they are capable of."

"I understand your concern," Kurapika said, patting her back. "But I can handle myself. I am convinced with the information he'll provide, we will be able to get our revenge."

The warm atmosphere between the Kurta siblings suddenly vanished at sunset. The moon coming out of the sky, Kurapika was startled when Vividus suddenly changed her ways the moment he talked about revenge. Her expression had changed from happy to serious. She placed her coffee down on top of the roof without breaking her gaze.

"No." Vividus replied firmly, "I will not have you engage in combat with those creatures. They are my target and mine alone. I won't allow you to engage in combat because I don't want to lose you."

Kurapika shot up from his spot. "You're not making sense to me! With our powers combined, we can finish off the Phantom Troupe together!"

Vividus's heart started to ache as memories flashed before her eyes, remembering how Chrollo used her and how Pakunoda locked her memories away. Looking at Kurapika, Vividus felt regret and fear. An image of Kurapika dying in her arms instilled instant fear in her mind. A deep part of her felt it was her fault all of this happened, Kurapika shouldn't die for her mistakes.

"No!" she screamed back, now standing, "I'm responsible for this!"

"Onee-san, how can this be your responsibility? They killed our friends! Our clan! Our family! We could fight together and retrieve our beloved brethren's eyes. Kill the Spiders! I know I can become as strong and powerful as you!"

"I'll handle them myself!" Vividus snapped at Kurapika, "They know who I am, but they don't know about you."

Vividus hated herself. She knows she is extraordinarily selfish right now, but does not have much choice. Every word that slipped out of her lips made her feel empty.In her mind, she felt that her fallen clan members who she once held dearly, started dragging her soul into the dark abyss of shame and self-doubt.

She felt like she was drowning.

"Wait, how does the troupe know who you are?" Kurapika remarked, not liking where this is going.

"It doesn't matter," She replied, "I'll do anything I can to protect you from them. Even if it means risking my life."

"That's not fair!" screamed Kurapika, refusing to hear that as an answer. "How can you say that? I remain alive, but you die in my stead?! "

Vividus felt her heart race in fear. How will he react when she tells him the whole truth about what really happened? How their whole clan got slaughtered in the first place? At first, she thought she was ready to tell her brother everything. But her confidence departed as the question echoed in her mind. Now feeling nothing but guilt and shame within her very core.

Her decision to tell him is uncertain now.

"Does this have something to do with your disappearance? Why you were gone for so many years?"

She said nothing; she just stood there, unsure of what to say next.

"Really?!" Kurapika scoffs a bit. "You were riding so high up on your horse, and now you lost the ability to speak? "

Vividus protested, "No Kura-chan, it's nothing like that! It's just hard!"

"You? Scared?" Kurapika asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I hear only excuses. I understand why you're trying to take care of me, but you should also accept that I'm not a child anymore!"

Vividus noticed her little brother shaking, but she didn't speak as she wasn't sure what to do. Listening with a heavy heart, she is trying to understand Kurapika the best she could. Bracing herself, she knew that Kurapika is about to say something that will hurt her deeply.

Kurapika wept with his head hung low as he felt his emotions crashing over him. "I was alone for so many years. I didn't have the opportunity to travel the world, or find the cure for Pairo's eyes. This horrible feeling of hatred and revenge festered inside me. As a result, I strengthened myself so I could avenge you, Pairo, our parents."

She wanted to comfort her brother, but nothing came out. Vividus didn't realize how Kurapika must have felt during the time they were apart. She clutched onto her shirt and felt her anxiety building inside herself. What had Kurapika had to do to survive this whole time?

How did he feel when he thought that he was alone all of this time? What did Kurapika have to do when he tried to answer her questions about her? She was holding her chest tight, trying to control her breathing and keep herself composed.

So many negative emotions filled her soul, and she began to feel ashamed for letting him down.

The sudden silence made Kurapika lean in closer to Vividus and stare her down. His expression was one of vulnerability and desperation. His eyes are no longer loving and grey, but instead scarlet due to his intensity.

But after all these years, you were just relaxing as a Floor Master in Heavens Arena? Instead of looking for me, you just fought for money, and replaced me with Killua? Did you even bother looking for me?!"

Hearing Kurapika use Killua against her. Her brother's words were stabbing her in the heart. She didn't mean to make him feel this way. She didn't realize that her interactions with the young boy made him feel this way.

"N-No...that's not it."

Kurapika pleaded, placing his hand across her own. "Then tell me so that I can understand!"

"I'm scared," she stammered, feeling his grip on her hand tighten. Self-doubt filled her mind and she began to blame herself - "I'm responsible for everything that happened."

"How could you be responsible?" Kurapika exclaimed, lifting her hand up and placing it against his chest. "You're my sister! I can never hate you!" he said.

"That's not true..."

Kurapika kept pushing Vividus. Emotions were so strong that he was incapable of remaining calm. He had no idea he was hurting her because he kept his words of comfort to himself. "Then stop being selfish and talk to me! What are you hiding? Why do you think I would hate you?!"

Experiencing her own breakdown, Vividus lay her head back in her hands and stared back at Kurapika, looking into his pair of red eyes. The two Kurtas were experiencing grief, regret, anger, and it was suffocating.

**"Because I'm the reason everyone's dead!"**

She was no longer as calm as she had been, her emotions were now exposed to Kurapika. Her voice was trembling, her body was shaking. Her scarlet eyes bore into his soul.

For the very first time in Vividus's life, her scarlet eyes bore into his own with such raw emotion. So strong that it sent Kurapika reeling.

Kurapika paused, staring at her, disbelieving. "W-W-What do you mean it's your fault? No way, that can't be true."

"I speak nothing but the truth!" Vividus hung her head low, choking back her tears as all the memories of her time with the Phantom Troupe started to run through her.

"When I was training hard with Biscuit, I encountered one of the most intelligent man I have ever met. He was special. It was special enough to make me see that we could be partners. I wanted him to come home so he could meet you and everyone at the village."

As she described her side, she dug her fingers into her upper arm, feeling more memories start to flood in. She saw images of Chrollo that were happy, but quickly shattered when she saw the job posting on Chrollo's phone.

Her heart ached more than ever.

"The man I fell in love with was the leader of the Phantom Troupe. He used me. By the time I found out who he was, his mission was to kill our clan. I ran as fast as I could to avoid any information being stolen. I-"

Vividus was still in the process of telling Kurapika what happened when suddenly her body was thrown from the roof. Looking around in wonder, she instinctively tried to land on her feet, but when she reached the bottom, she tripped and somehow managed to regain her balance.

Lifting her head, she could see Kurapika approaching with a small sword in his hand. He wore a look of despair in his expression, his scarlet eyes glowing furiously.

"How could you do that?" Kurapika growled. "How could you let us go like that?"

The teenager ran up to Vividus and charged at her. Whenever he swung the sword and attempted to strike her down, she dodged easily.

"Kura-chan, please just listen to me!" Vividus pleaded, but he didn't heed her words. He continued to attack her over and over again as he didn't give her a chance to speak.

"You were the strongest fighter in our clan! The prodigy! How could you have slipped up so easily because of a stupid man!?"

He was so angry and hurt. She could feel his energy emanating off of him, with each swing, with each strike he aimed at her, she felt a piece of herself being chipped away. Vividus stayed silent and let her brother express his feelings and thoughts before she decided to reply. Vividus felt as if she had no right to speak at the moment.

"By following your heart instead of following your instincts, Pairo and everyone else is dead!"

Before Vividus could open her mouth to say another word, Kurapika kicked her in the stomach. Gasping in pain, she felt her body flying back, and her back immediately tingled with shock.

"I hate you so much. You should have died instead of all the others!"

Kurapika was now straddling her hips, pointing his sword at her heart. He cried, furious, as angry tears poured down his cheeks. Then he yelled, trying to read his sister. "Why aren't you fighting back!?"

Kurapika was now filled with confusion. He knew that Vividus could've easily taken him down and fought. Although his sister is strong enough to stop his attacks, she was only dodging and letting him hurt her. He didn't like this one bit, he didn't like how Vivdus was doing this on purpose.

"Say something!"

Once he yelled at her, Kurapika could hear her sobs escaping her. He watched his sister turn to face him. Her scarlet eyes stare at him with a void look. Her eyes are no longer shining.

Her eyes are now filled with tears.

"When I fought that man, I was so close to ending his life... so close to saving everyone. I was ready to give my own life so they wouldn't get on to you all."

Grabbing the sharp blade with her hand, she ignored the painful sensation. Kurapika's eyes widened to see what his sister was suddenly doing.

"What are you-"

Rather than letting him speak, Vividus continued to talk over him,

"Kura-chan, I know I failed. I know I failed to protect you all. I'm a disgrace to the Kurta clan." She said, attempting to convey her feelings for him.

"After I failed, the spiders locked away my memories; not only did they lock away all that I knew about the Troupe, but they also locked all of my memories related to the Kurta clan, our parents, and you."

Watching the blood drip down the blade, it stained her top. The tears she tried so hard to hold back until now.

"I never meant to replace you with Killua. The reason we're close in the first place is because we met at Heavens Arena. After spending time with him...he helped trigger some memories of you."

Vividus tightened her grip on the blade. She was holding on so tightly that Kurapika could feel the blade shaking in her grasp. No matter how excruciating the pain was, she was trying to push through this point.

He urged me to return to the village and looked for answers; when I returned here, I saw a photo. When I saw that photo, you know what helped me remember everything?"

Feeling more tears streaming out of her eyes, she no longer gripped onto the sword. She reached up and cupped her brother's cheeks. Her blood now on his skin made him shake. The more she moved toward, the tip of the blade would puncture her skin, a small bit of blood coming out.

"You Kurapika, seeing your face again made me remember everything. When I found out that you were alive, I left the tower and I did everything I could to locate you. You being alive gave me hope that everything would be alright."

She stared at her brother and saw more tears escaping his eyes. A warm, sad smile appeared on her lips as she used her thumb to wipe his tears away. She would drop her touch, now lowering her arm to her side.

"I never meant to leave you behind like that. I never meant to leave you alone for so many years. I am so sorry," she said, "If I could go back in time, I would gladly end my life if it meant I could save you all."

"Stop it."

"But please know, I am so proud of the man you have become. You survived on your own through all this time. After all this time, I don't deserve to be here with you. I let you down."

"I said that's enough."

"If you believe my death would help alleviate your pain, then just-."

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!"

She looked away slowly, expecting the sword to cut through her chest. But instead, the loud thud she heard was beside her head. Slowly opening her eyes, Vividus saw the blade impaled into the ground behind her head.

Turning her head, she looked at her brother with wide eyes, watching Kurapika tremble in front of her. "Why...?" she questioned.

Getting off her body, he sat off to one side and stood on his knees. Vividus lifted herself up from the ground, keeping her gaze firmly on her brother. She doesn't understand, why didn't he kill her?

"I understand now," he stammered, tears streamed down his face as it began to mix with her blood that was smeared on his cheek.

She was about to say something, but Kurapika raised his hand to prevent her from talking.

"But...I don't think I can trust myself around you right now, especially after how I aimlessly tried to hurt you, kill you even." He stood from his spot and walked into the woods. "Just...leave me alone."

"Kurapika wait," She said, grasping at his wrist weakly. He stopped in his tracks.

Shaking his head, he stared down at Vividus with a sad smile on his face. Not wanting to hear more from Vividus. "Please, just leave."

Seeing the sadness in his eyes, Vividus felt a large part of her suddenly chip away. Letting go of her brother's wrist, she watched her brother walk away, his figure no longer in view as he vanished into the forest.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After some time had passed, Kurapika returned. He felt like he was in a better headspace. He felt guilty, terrible for what he had said to his sister.

Reflecting on their exchanged conversation, he came into acceptance that none of it was her fault. Vividus didn't know that it was going to turn out so badly. Looking back on how she was punished for allowing her memories to be taken away by the person she claimed to love.

Kurapika was ashamed of himself for not allowing Vividus to express her side of the story, feeling like he should've understood, yet he didn't. If his mother were alive, she'd beat him for acting like that.

The younger brother should have realized that not only him, but Vividus also suffered as well. Both of them thought the other was dead because of the Phantom Troupe, so Kurapika felt terrible for how he felt, hurting both her physically and emotionally.

"Onee-san? Where are you?"

He searched for his sister to find an opportunity to apologize for his behaviour. Entering the kitchen, he hoped to find his sister writing in her usual notebook with a new cup of coffee in her hand.

Kurapika found a note left on the counter instead. Blinking a few times, he picked it up and read it. Kurapika's heart tightened as he read those simple words.

_"I'm sorry for everything,_

_We'll meet again in Yorknew City._

_-V"_

Kurapika dropped the letter from his hands. Running to her room first, he slammed the door open to find all of her stuff gone. Kurapika searched through every room of the hut, hoping that she will be in one of the places.

Running downstairs, he ran outside to see whether she was there. However, it was just that note. Feeling that instant grief and regret, he started blaming himself for hurting her. He regretted telling his sister to leave, wanting to take it all back, hugging her as he should've.

However, the damage is already one.

> **Vividus is gone.**

* * *

Hello everyone! I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe during this pandemic!

I know the last chapter ended on a sad note. But I promise you I have a lot planned for the upcoming future chapters! But with that being said, I'm going to take a break. But don't worry! I won't be giving up on this fanfic as I love it just as much as you guys do!

At the current moment, I've been working on an Arc of my own original idea that I thought would be fun to write. It will be titled: **"The White Garden Project** ". During this Arc, not only the Jester and the Kurta woman will become closer, but a few OC characters will also be introduced! This Arc will be outside of the original Canon at first, but it will be connected to the Original at some point! Be prepared for some action, feels, and some badass moments in this one!

Once The White Garden Project ends, that is when I'm going to be transitioning into the Yorknew City Arc!

During this time, I'm also going to edit the chapters as well. I feel like there are a couple of chapters that could do some revision.

Thank you all again for the comments, love, and kudos! I will see you all again soon!

Love,

NezuVIX 

P.s. 

1\. Here is another picture of Vividus from an amazing Artist name: **Sawadraws!**

2\. Here is another picture of Vivi that I drew! I started drawing again and wanted to share with you all <3 HERES BLUSHIN VIVI


	29. Author's Note!

Hello everyone! I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe during this pandemic!

I know the last chapter ended on a sad note. But I promise you I have a lot planned for the upcoming future chapters! But with that being said, I'm going to take a break. But don't worry! I won't be giving up on this fanfic as I love it just as much as you guys do!

At the current moment, I've been working on an Arc of my own original idea that I thought would be fun to write. It will be titled: **"The White Garden Project** ". During this Arc, not only the Jester and the Kurta woman will become closer, but a few OC characters will also be introduced! This Arc will be outside of the original Canon at first, but it will be connected to the Original at some point! Be prepared for some action, feels, and some badass moments in this one!

Once The White Garden Project ends, that is when I'm going to be transitioning into the Yorknew City Arc!

During this time, I'm also going to edit the chapters as well. I feel like there are a couple of chapters that could do some revision.

Thank you all again for the comments, love, and kudos! I will see you all again soon!

Love,

NezuVIX

**Art by: Sawadraws!**


	30. Water x Memories

> **_C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - N I N E_**

**_It was madness._ **

_Just absolute madness._

_Looking around, I see numerous dead adults and children. My black suit is ruined and splattered with blood. My body can no longer move as I struggle to catch my breath. I looked at my hands to see that my aura is failing and my nen can no longer sustain me._

_Looking up from against the wall, I observed a woman with platinum blonde hair in an ocean blue dress standing a few feet away as if to protect me. I watched her water nen flowing gracefully around her body.She had hair all over the place and bruises all over her delicate skin. Her scarlet eyes glowed brightly in distress. I felt a frown tugging at the edge of my lips, not liking how worn out and battered she looked._

_Across from her was another woman, wearing a black and white gown, a white cheetah mask on her face, her lips tattooed with an arrogant smirk. A little boy stood by her side who looked like he'd seen better days. I couldn't make out what was being discussed between the two, but I knew Vividus must've said something rude to her._

_Only because that cocky smirk she once had on her lips suddenly turned into an angry frown. Her bright blue eyes looked straight at Vividus. She closed the fan in her hand and pointed it at the Kurta woman._

_"Finish her."_

_At that moment, I watched Vividus sprinting forward towards the boy with her water. Watching it turn into a scythe. While the boy let out a scream, his nen beast dashed forward towards the woman. As his claw's collided with Vividus's weapon, everything suddenly went black._

* * *

Shooting up from his bed, Hisoka jolted forward and breathed heavily. Placing his hand over his chest, he felt like his heart was ready to jump out. He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breath and compose himself.

 _'It's that dream again.'_ Hisoka thought to himself as he slumped back into his bed.

The same dream has been haunting Hisoka ever since his Hunters exams: Vividus fighting the child, her battling the woman in the Cheetah mask, and, in the end, the woman saying those two simple words that awaken him.

Hisoka hasn't seen Vividus for three months now. Ever since they last met during the end of the exam, he hoped to see the Kurta woman again, but when he arrived at the tower, there was no sign of her anywhere.

But instead, he gets these dreams about his crimson flower. As much as he hates to admit it, it's quite unnerving.

He picked up the top card on his nightstand and saw the queen of hearts. As he stared at the card, the image of the platinum blonde appeared in his mind. He wondered what the Kurta woman has been doing since the exam ended. Illumi told Hisoka that Vividus joined Gon and his team to recover Killua. That was the last he heard of Vividus.

Vividus had wanted Kurapika as away from the fight as possible last time they spoke. He understands why the oldest sister wishes to protect her little brother, but he didn't think it would be as entertaining if Kurapika wasn't involved.

He wanted to see the battle between the Kurta Survivors vs. the Phantom Troupe. In all honesty, all Hisoka cared about was whether the Kurta Survivors would fight against the Phantom Troupe as long as it sustained his entertainment.

He had more questions. One of them was whether the older sister had told Kurapika about her memory loss. Vividus was aware that it was a subject she couldn't ignore forever.His brother is just as emotional as she is. He was curious to see how he would react if Vividus told Kurapika about the Phantom Troupe.

Letting out a small sigh, he swung his legs over to his bed. Looking over at the clock, he saw it was almost midnight. Running his loose Fuschia hair through his fingers, he realized that he'd been missing Vividus.

He's one of the few in his life that kept him entertained and was happy to spend time with her. Let alone not wanting to kill her despite tormenting her on numerous occasions. The dreams he's been having about her hasn't helped one bit.

With Vividus haunting his mind, he began to wonder how she had been spending her time over the past few months. He wants to fight her at her fullest now that she has her memories back.

Kurapika has now been made aware that nothing will hinder her progress. Hisoka is wondering about the possibilities of Vividus becoming more substantial than she is now. It slightly saddens him that he was not there to witness the woman lose herself during the Hunters Exam.

Hisoka dropped the queen of hearts back onto the deck. Reaching onto the floor, he grabbed a t-shirt and sweatpants and headed out of his room. He was in the mood for something sweet.

He opened his bedroom door. Looking forward, he looked into the dimly lit living room and noticed a woman with Platinum-blonde hair on his couch, her arms crossed over her chest and her legs cross-legged. He smirked as she sat silently.

Hisoka noticed that Vividus wore a style that wasn't usually hers: a dress shirt with shades of blue, a thin red necktie with red spider lilies on it, and black dress pants outlined in a blue gradient.

Lastly, Vividus is wearing a pair of ankle heels with a brown satchel on her feet. He forgot how stunning Vividus's looks were, especially when she dresses up like this.

He felt his heart skip a beat.

"I guess it's about time you finally woke up," Vividus observed, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting you to sleep during the day. If I had known, I would've come by another time."

"A man needs beauty sleep." Hisoka replied, "I haven't heard from you in three months, and you surprise me with a visit at this hour? How did you manage to get into my room in the first place?"

Watching the Kurta woman put a card into her jacket pocket, she took out a card with his room number written on top of it. Despite her silence, Hisoka recognizes her trick, his smirk turns into a smile of understanding.

“I see what you did there.”

Before she could even reply, Hisoka observed the woman's eyes as they stared in puzzlement. Seeing her blink a few times, Vividus looked the Jester in the eye, and her cheeks turned red. Looking away from him, Hisoka notices that the woman is trying to avoid eye contact. 

"D-Do you mind putting on a shirt, please?"

Hearing those words, Hisoka looked down at himself only to find that she was right. The man was wearing just sweatpants as he wasn't wearing a shirt. Looking back up, he put his hands on his hips, thinking about how flustered the woman was.

"It's not like this is the first time you've seen me naked, Vivi-chan." He purred.

"So? It's the principal!" she exclaimed, the red on her face growing deeper. "P-please change into something more appropriate, I have something important to discuss with you. Your shirtlessness is rather...distracting."

Hisoka rolled his eyes and made his way back to his room, deciding to finally comply with the woman's wishes, as he didn't want to agitate the woman and have her leave again.

"As you wish," Hisoka replied.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After Hisoka finally put on a shirt. While he made Vividus a cup of coffee with two milk and two sugars, Hisoka filled his own cup with an uncomfortable amount of Sugarcubes and a dash of scream. 

Staring at the madness, Vividus couldn’t help but to sweatdrop. She wanted to question his taste in coffee, but decided that it was too late to even question his sanity.

He's lost it for quite some time now.

With Vividus taking a drink, she let out a small sigh of contentment. "Wow, Hisoka, you actually know how to make good coffee."

"I am glad you like it," he said, drinking his, "I put a lot of love into it."

"I'm sure you did," Vividus responded, shaking her head.

Hisoka giggled lightly towards her comment. "I'm curious, Vivi-chan. What do you want to discuss? I'm sure you must have had a valid reason for showing up unannounced."

He heard the platinum-blonde chuckle softly. Using his thumb to trace the mug's edge, Hisoka stared at her, wondering what her crimson flower was thinking this time.

"Back when I was searching for Kurapika, I remembered an interesting fact." Vividus said, spinning the contents in the mug lightly.

"Oh?" Hisoka asked, now with a curious glint in his eyes. "What might that be?"

Vividus looked up at Hisoka with dreamy eyes. "I learned that the water on this planet is about three billion years old." She said, "Just think about that, over the years of this world evolving, the water on our planet has witnessed everything."

The woman sipped her coffee; Hisoka stared at her confused.

"I see," He said slowly, raising his eyebrows at her statement. " I mean, is that what you were taught all those years ago? Because if so, that's quite disappointing. I expected something more...unique."

All Vividus did was nod, looking up at the Jester for a moment with thoughtful eyes. "Maybe so, but what if I suggest the possibility of water having memories?"

Hisoka stared at the woman before him for a moment, blinking a few times. At first, he was going to respond with some silly comment. But then, as he took the information in, he held his chin and pondered a bit.

The Jester was curious, but he didn't want to admit it. He sipped his coffee and gave Vividus a small grin. "Go on."

Vividus smirked and continued, "The water that creates you and me must have passed four humans and animals before us. It also knows everything."

Watching the woman's every move, he watched Vividus get up from her spot and make her way over to the kitchen, where she got a glass of water. After doing so, she walked back to the table and placed it in front of the Jester. At that point, the Jester suddenly saw her aura around her body. It wasn't as intense as it normally is, but it was more contained and controlled.

Which caused the Jester's curiosity to grow even more.

I didn't really realize how important this information was during my travels with my master until recently. I wondered: what could I do if I used my nen and revealed the water's memory? When I tried the first time-"

As Vividus reached out her hands, she started to manipulate the water before her. But nothing exciting happened. The water turned into an ice-sphere, floated between her hands, and then stopped. "Nothing happens," she said. "Do you know why?"

This woman ice-sphere with water in front of Him. He saw her fill up water in front of Him, then use her nen to control it. Pointing an index finger towards Vividus, a grin appeared across his lips.

"The water has no memory."

Vividus nodded her head in response, "Correct."

She waved her hands over the ice-sphere, and it returned to water. "It took a few seconds for the water to begin experiencing things. If I do it now, the results will be different."

He witnessed the water as it changed. As Vividus focused on the water, it turned back into ice. But this time it took the form of miniature Hisoka, mimicking his actions from just a few seconds ago and even heard his voice.

He stared in awe.

"Truly majestic, Vivi-chan," he said, pointing at the miniature version of himself. "I must admit that when you explained the whole science behind water, I never thought you were a woman of science."

"I like...discovering new places, new things," Vividus replied while controlling water once again and placing it back in the cup. "When I left the Kurta Clan many years ago to travel, I wanted to learn more about the world. And so I did."

Hisoka caught a small hint of sadness in her tone. As she recalled a sad memory, her eyes became glazed over. Feeling a slight frown tug at the corner of his lips. He spoke up.

"Well, you catch my interest as well." He sipped his coffee. "Tell me then, what was the point of all this? Surely there is some reason for showing me your magic tricks?"

Hearing his words, she was instantly snapped back out of her reverie. Chuckling in embarrassment, she replied, "You are correct yet again, Hisoka."

When she reached through her bag, she pulled out an object to reveal a jar of clear water. As she put it in front of Hisoka, she opened the lid: the substance started to flow and surrounding her body.

The view was beautiful. It was as if the water were dancing around the woman's frame. It enlightened him a bit more.

"I have a proposition for you that you might be interested in," Vividus stated, putting her arms on top of her lap. "We are planning a mission that will take place in the next couple of days."

"A mission?" Hisoka asked, leaning to one side. "To be honest, I would never have expected someone such as you to ask me for my assistance for anything. Why do you need my help?"

"Considering we will be facing strong enemies, I figure this might be your cup of tea."

"Using your pleasure to fight stronger opponents against me, that's naughty of you." Hisoka chuckled.

Vividus looked at Hisoka in an unamused way. "Anyway," She said getting right back to the subject at hand. "Does this intrigue you? I shall continue explaining the mission details before you make any final decisions. If not, I will take my leave."

Hisoka's golden hues stared at the woman in front of him. From his years of knowing the Kurta woman, this was something he never expected to ask him to do. Vividus didn't seem the type to ask anyone to do anything for her.

Let alone, asking Hisoka himself.

However, he knew that it would be a long time before his new prey, Gon, would be ready to fight him. Not only that but his old adversary, Kastro, challenged him to a fight that wouldn't be for another few days.

An image of Vividus suddenly appeared in his mind. He remembered how the woman before him had always protected him. Taking risks fighting against the child and his nen beast. As his memories shifted, an image of the woman in the cheetah mask appeared.

The more Hisoka thought about his dreams, the more curious he became about Vividus's sudden offer. He was usually the type of man who would accept a mission without a second thought. But his mind recalled these memories fragments: He wanted to know what this mission is about. Perhaps knowing what this mission is about would give him an idea of what the Kurta woman has been up to for the last few months.

Not only that, but the Jester thought it would be interesting to see Vividus in action. Not during the Hunter's Exam or Heaven's Arena, but in a real-life or death situation. He wonders what she can do now that she has regained her memories. Considering he hasn't seen her fight fully, perhaps this would be an excellent opportunity to see it in action.

"Your interest is piqued, Vivi-chan," Hisoka said, getting comfortable in his seat. "So please indulge me on what this so-called mission entails that require my assistance."

Vividus stared at Hisoka, trying to determine his seriousness, and his gaze caught the glint of curiosity in his eye. Hisoka wanted to know more. She believed that Hisoka was indeed serious.

"Alright," Vividus replied, moving her hands as the water began to move toward the center of the table.

Watching the water begin to take form, Hisoka could now see a scene before him. It was so different from her miniature ice figures from before, since the figures were now the size of Hisoka's hand.

Presented before him were five figures. By looking at their sculptures, he recognized two figures on the spot. One of them took the form of Vividus, who was sitting around a table with three other hunters.

While the other was an old man whom he is longing to fight one day: Netero Isaac. The man was standing next to another tall figure. To his delighted, they seemed to be formidable opponents.

"Now. I will only use this ability once," Vividus said, focusing his gaze on Hisoka. "Keep your questions and concerns for the end; it's confidential. Do I make myself clear?"

Hisoka nodded understandingly at Vividus. "Understood, Vivi-chan."

Hisoka gave his word as the figures started to move. As he watched intently, the ice figure of Netero started to move. It started to stroke its beard, smiling broadly towards the hunters. Hisoka heard Netero start to speak.

> _**"Let's get this debriefing started shall we?"** _

* * *

** ~.:[Author's note]:.~ **

**Hello everyone! I am back! I hope all of you have been doing well!  
A lot has been happening on my end, so I apologize that the delay was longer than expected.**

**During my break, remember how I mentioned before I started to draw again? Weeeeell, I made a scene between Hisoka and Vividus in a manga format!  
** **I'm hoping to improve on my skills and present more manga scenes from the chapter! Please pardon my crappy drawing;__;**

**Serious question though, what is your favourite scene from this fanfic so far? Is there a scene you would all like to see drawn out? Depending on what it is, I'll do my best to draw it out the best I can!**

**I will be honest, I don't know how consistent I will be in terms of chapter updates will be considering a lot has been happening...so please bare with me** (ुŏ̥̥̥̥םŏ̥̥̥̥)

**Regardless, I am super excited about writing out this Arc so I hope all of you will enjoy the future chapters!  
**

**See you soon my lovlies <3 **

**-NezuVIX**

****


	31. The x Debriefing

_**[Warning: At this point forward, this Arc will contain a certain character from the newest chapters from the Hunter x Hunter manga which may contain spoilers (read at your own risk). As well as some graphic scenes that may be discomforting for others. Your discretion is advised.]** _

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y**_

**As the miniature ice figures turned around to face the front, everyone's attention was now focused on the two men at the front.**

Of everyone in the room, Hisoka recognizes only the Chairman directly, Netero Isaac. Which was surprising since he was present. It delighted him to see the Chairman involved with this mission. If he's here, then this mission must be more than he had thought.

"Before we get started, I would like to welcome our newest squad member of the Elementos, Miss Vividus. Who represents water." Netero said, turning his attention towards the ice version of the Kurta woman. "Besides myself, I would like to introduce you to our other members of the squad."

First, Netero pointed at a woman in her early thirties. By the looks of it, she had an afro with an intimidating presence. She had a standard attire of a long sleeve undershirt with an overshirt. Over her waist looked like a large sash with a large buckle at the front. Hisoka could tell that she is a serious individual and not to be tampered with. "That is Gaia-san; her element is Earth."

Soon after, he pointed to the other individual sitting beside the woman named Gaia. The man who looked like he was in his forties. He wore a yukata with wind strokes across his clothes and an obi sash. Who gave Vividus a small nod. "That is Kuuki-san. Who represents air."

As Hisoka examined the man before him, he watched the Chairman pointed at the man who was standing beside it. By the looks of it, he was about his age. He had medium-long spiky hair, a large scar spread underneath his eyes. Hisoka noticed that he was relatively around the same height as him. Examining his clothes, he wore a long coat with a top underneath with a pair of ripped up jeans.

Hisoka took an interest in the man. He wasn't sure what it was about him, but he seemed like someone he would love to fight. Despite the man being an ice-figure made out of Vividus's nen ability, he still gives off a powerful presence.

"As for my right-hand man, you already know Hizashi Ragni, who represents fire and also the current leader of The Elementos."

Standing up from her seat, Hisoka watched Vividus, the ice-version, stand up and bow towards the other members of her team. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Thanks for having me on board."

"It's fine child, we're all equal here. No need to be polite." The woman named Gaia said, "We are all equals here."

"I apologize; it's a force of habit," Vividus said, laughing nervously. "It's not every day you get to meet individuals with your reputation...let alone joining the squad itself."

"Please child, it's ok," Kuuki interjected, looking at Vividus with a warm expression. "If anything, the honour should be ours as well. Meeting someone with your status as a famous floor master."

"It's nothing special at all; I'm just a fighter."

"A fighter who ended up making history as the youngest floor master." The man corrected, "Let alone, haven't lost since then, that is still impressive. You should be proud."

Nodding her head, Vividus rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment. "T-Thank you."

"Alright, enough with the compliments." snapped Hizashi as he glanced at his teammates. "If you would like to compliment one another, please do so after the debriefing. But for now, just focus."

Nodding, Vividus sat back in her seat and apologized. As the Chairman reassured her everything is fine, they resumed the meeting.

On cue, the scenery changed. Showing an image of the world map appearing in the center of the table. The Chairman said, "Criminal activities such as human trafficking have been increasing in recent years." He added, "However, there have been reports of children between the ages of five and twelve suddenly going missing. They believe human traffickers are responsible."

On the table, dots started to appear across the map. "Normally, the government handles the situation and investigates the problem themselves. After digging further into the matter, they have found out that this is out of their control."

As the perspective on the table changed, Hisoka heard a few gasps echo across the miniature ice figures. There were now several images of injured civilians and dead bodies. It wasn't a good sight, despite it being made of ice.

Hisoka looked down at Vividus. He was expecting her to show discomfort, but the Kurta woman has remained calm and composed this entire time. Focused on playing the water's memory before the Jester.

"There have been reports of children rampaging and killing villages and towns that are aimed at smaller provinces in various parts of the world. However, their method of killing is not by normal means."

"What does normal mean?" Gaia asked. "These are children that are killing other children! That's not normal in the first place!"

"I understand," Netero said, "What I meant by normal means is these kids are nen users."

"But not just any nen," Hizashi interjected. The map was no longer on the table. But instead, the ice took on another form on top of the table. It was revealed to be a young boy that looked distorted and glitchy. If Hisoka had to guess the age, he looks like he would be about ten years old. "But they are using nen beasts ."

Dark blue, cruel, and sinister. Hisoka blinked in wonder as a dark aura with a deformed beast suddenly appeared around his body. He was amazed and impressed by the deformity of the beast. 

Hisoka's eyes glowed with curiosity.

Kuuki yelled. "Nen beasts?! Impossible, it takes years to do that. Even the youngest nen user in the Hunters' Association we know is Gon Freecss, but he didn't even start his nen training until now."

"We know, Kuuki," Hizashi said with his arms crossed. "According to our research, we believe the Nen beasts were either made by humans or were forced upon these children."

The image of the boy with the beast disappeared, and the scene now changed. The new scene was set in a village. Hisoka heard the shrieks and cries of the innocents. As the people suffered, they were crushed underfoot by children with emotionless expressions on their faces.

It was an absolute massacre.

While looking at the children, tears started to drizzle down their cheeks. As they summoned their nen beasts, the monsters ripped into the civilians. They were no matches for the deformed monsters.

More screams echoed through the room. Then, soon after, the scene abruptly changed, and the room became quiet. The silence was unsettling. Hisoka watched the child slowly place their arm back by their side.

The woman appeared out of nowhere, placing her hand on the child's head as if to tell him that he did a good job.

The moment Hisoka saw the image of the woman, his heart dropped, and he felt a cold sweat trail down his forehead. His breath was suddenly snatched away.

Hisoka stared at the figure before him, the woman wearing a black dress and white apron top. Her dark hair was tied into a bun and she looked like a mother to anyone observing her. But that is not what made his heart stop.

What made him freeze in place was the fact that this woman also wore a familiar cheetah mask covering part of her face. All he could see of her was a dark smile—the same smile from his dream that ordered the boy to kill Vividus.

"This is Esther Gracefield, in the underworld; her codename is _Mother,_ " Hizashi said, snapping Hisoka out of his thoughts. "She works for a pharmaceutical company called Eden. In the public eye, she is a top surgeon in the medical world and an advocate on ending poverty. She runs charity events, donates millions to non-profit organizations, and so on. She's well respected by the public."

The man who represented fire looked over at Vividus, which caused Hisoka to do the same. There, he saw sudden discomfort spreading across the Kurta woman's features. By the looks of things, Vividus was staring intensely at the woman in the Cheetah mask. Hizashi let out a small sigh and continued.

According to our intel, she performs illegal experiments behind closed doors. She's also being blamed for the abduction of children going missing, but due to lack of evidence, the government was unable to hold her accountable. The company is thought to be involved or even supporting her work."

Hizashi paused in his conversation for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck in irritation. "To make matters worse, she's a nen user as well. Her nen ability is called "Parasite Eve," which falls under the manipulation category.

Netero patted Hizashi's back, noting that the man before him was shaking in rage. Letting out a sigh, Netero once again took over.

"Reports say that she isn't just kidnapping commoners. But other children from rare tribes, clans, and bloodlines as well, and harvesting their organs. Trying to rebuild these children and turn them into the perfect specimen".

On cue, the scene on the table changed. Hisoka doesn't get surprised too regularly, but as the ice changed form it revealed different body parts were listed and used for Esther's experimentation, but a certain pair of eyes stood out amongst the rest.

Hisoka noticed her body suddenly tensing up when she spoke. If he were there in person, he could've sworn that her eyes would turn scarlet for a brief second considering that it is her fallen clan members.

"Esther believes that each body part can enhance someone's potential. That's her theory." The Chairman explained, "Our purpose today is to carry out a raid mission and destroy Esther's project. We don't want the world to be wrecked by this experimenter. Moreover, taking away Esther also sheds light on her organization. It is a criminal organization formed by nen users, on top of the food chain, in the underworld. During this mission, we want you all to beware of these two individuals."

The scene now revealed three-bodies. One was Esther herself, and two other individuals Hisoka had never seen before.

The first appearance was faded but still identifiable in that he wore medium-length hair, his eyes glowed with sinister light, and he had a scar on his left.

In a dark tone, Hizashi said, "This is the leader of the Draugrs, Sairo. We still lack information about him, but he still deserves our attention. Don't engage in combat with him. He is my target."

The second image is more clear than the first one. The man is in his thirties, he has long fair hair and a thin mustache. He looks like a muscular build with a long white robe and a crown.

"Our second suspect is Tserriednich Hui Guo Rou, the fourth prince of the Kakin empire. He's not a member of the organization, however, rumour says he keeps in touch with Esther for Rare Human organs. We are still trying to build a case against him but still lack the evidence. If you have any information about the prince, please let us know. Otherwise, proceed with caution if you encounter him."

At that moment, Hisoka observed the new scene on the table. It now revealed the members of the Elementos squad. Each figure was now standing in front of a skyscraper with the word 'Eden' printed on it.

"In two weeks, there will be a private charity ball being held in the country of Jappon. Our intel told us that Esther is going to be one of the individuals hosting the charity event at Eden headquarters".

The Chairman instructed Gaia and Kuuki, "You both will be positioned outside the building. Gaia's role will be to guarantee that no one can leave. Kuuki, your role is to assist Gaia.I will assist you with this part of the mission. Your role will be carried out when the ball is held." He said.

"As for you two, both of you will be working on obtaining intel from Esther. Hizashi will be working behind the scenes, while Vividus will be working on the front lines as our spy," Netero said.

Hisoka noticed that the Chairman's expression changed; now he noticed he was looking at Vividus with concern. He noticed that the scene on the table was now an ice figure of two women. Vividus looked confused, followed by another woman dragging her hand somewhere. She had a bright smile on her face, long hair flowing, and seemed to emit a positive aura around her.

"Vividus, I want to express my concern about Esther's attachment to you. I believe you are the one whose life is at risk, so that needs to change."

"But sir," Vividus replied, furrowing her eyebrows together. "I am more than capable of handling myself. I've been able to make it this far without Esther finding out, and even if she does, I have the strength to handle this..."

As Vividus tried to reason with the old man, Hisoka saw him holding his hand up. Hushing the Kurta woman in an instant. "I'm sorry, Vividus. But this is not up for debate. I understand that you are a formidable hunter. However, that still doesn't change the fact that you are the one closest to death out of everyone in this room."

After hearing this statement, Hisoka saw the ice-version Vividus being taken back. She looked offended yet understanding at the same time. With many feelings running through her mind, she just slumped down in her seat in defeat.

As the silence was uncanny, the Chairman sighed. Reaching his hand up, he started to rub the back of his neck. "Yes, there are moments when your life's on the line when you face opponents in the arena. But you're not in the tower anymore. Even though you have the skills and talent: you still lack the experience in terms of life and death situations. Each choice you make affects those around you that you swore to protect. Especially towards that child you _promised_ to save. That is why I am going to ask you to recruit someone to aid you."

Lifting her head, Vividus looked at the old man in wonder. "I'll be honest, Oji-san, this may not interest people. The risk of losing their lives is too great. Who do you have in mind to accept this mission?"

Suddenly, the old man started to laugh. Everyone in the room was taken aback by his sudden outburst. With his warmth filling the air, the room was no longer tense: but filled with hope.

"He's a rookie, just like you." The Chairman said, his lips turning into a Cheshire grin. "Despite your personalities being the polar opposite, he is definitely a man who loves the thrill of battle. Enjoys playing this kind of _game_. I'm sure if you use your water memory ability and show him all of this: this is an offer he can't refuse."

Suddenly, a new image appears on the round table. Vividus's eyes widen in shock, her jaw drops, and she cannot believe her eyes. Shooting a look towards the Chairman, her shocked expression can be seen by everyone around the table.

"The man that you will be recruiting is Hisoka Morow. Considering he has more experience than you in this regard: he is more than capable of handling himself and helping you on this mission. Despite his... _unique_ personality, I am positive that he is the perfect hunter to help us take down Esther and end The White Garden Project."

When the ice-version of Hisoka disappeared, Netero looked between his colleagues, giving everyone his usual goofy grin and radiating positivity.

"Until then, let us conclude this debriefing here. We shall reconvene in a few days. Vividus, I expect you to join me with Morow to depart for Jappon. Do I make myself clear?"

Hearing Vividus sigh, she nodded her head and bowed her head towards the Chairman, "I understand."

With that, Vividus's nen ability ended. As the platinum-blonde was no longer capable of controlling water's memory, the ice-figures broke and turned back into water, splashing on top of Hisoka's table.

Due to exhaustion, Vividus's vision became hazy, and her body began to weaken. As her body started to lean sideways, she expected to hit the ground, but she felt her body being caught by someone.

Looking down, she noticed a familiar pair of strong arms wrapping around her body. As she looked up, she saw Hisoka looking down at her with his usual cheshire-like smile.

"My, I was pleasantly surprised by that ability." Hisoka said, "I'm surprised you were able to keep it up--I didn't realize that kind of ability would drain your nen as quickly as it did."

Laughing weakly, Vividus nodded her head. Agreeing with the man's statement. "I guess you're right." She replied.

After she finished speaking, there was silence between the Jester and the Kurta survivor. All Hisoka heard was Vividus' raspy breathing from performing the nen ability for so long. Even though he hates to admit it: That was an impressive ability. It was more impressive than Illumi's ability to alter his body or Machi's nen stitches. What she just did was impressive.

He never expected he would catch the woman before him. If it was just anyone else: he would have laughed as they hit the ground. But not for Vividus, as soon as he saw her fall, he caught her.

That thought alone confused him; why did he catch her?

Looking down at the platinum blonde, Hisoka's mind began to race with thoughts on what had just happened. Indeed, the old man was right: everything that was solely presented to him would spark his interest. He wasn't wrong about how Hisoka is addicted to combat.

Even though he is aware the cheetah masked woman is real, his feelings are a bit uncomfortable. All of the sudden his dreams are coming true, but what does this mean for Hisoka?

Using one hand he gently moved some of her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Watching her expression change, she looked up at Hisoka, tilting her head to the side, a bit confused by his sudden actions.

"Why did you do that?" Vividus inquired softly, looking at him with a curious expression on her face.

"I don't know," He replied honestly, not understanding why he did what he did. "I just felt like it."

Vividus stared at Hisoka, but let it slide. She was exhausted and couldn't reply back in a sassy tone; all she did was chuckle lightly and rest her head against his chest, which tensed up the Jester.

"What are you doing?" Hisoka asked, raising an eyebrow at the Platinum-blonde.

She replied back, "You know, for someone who likes making me feel uncomfortable. I find it amusing seeing you show signs of discomfort."

Hisoka's eyes twitched in annoyance, as he fake smiled at the tired woman. "Oh? And why is that?"

"I suppose there may be a chance for you after all, as your actions prove you have boundaries." The kurta woman laughed.

"A chance of what, hm?" Hisoka asked.

"Nothing."

Hisoka lets out a small sigh in disapproval. He wanted to press a bit more, but decided to let it slide. It has been a hectic day for the both of them. So he believes he'll get another opportunity later.

Standing up, he scooped Vividus up in his arms. Hearing an adorable yelp escape her lips, she stared up in the Jester's face, her face turning red.

"H-Hisoka?! What are you doing?!"

"I'm taking you to the bed, of course." He replied smoothly, entering his bedroom.

"There's no need for that! I'll be fine. Just let me go, and I can go back to my room!"

"Vivi-chan, your inability to move your body right now shows just how little nen you have left," Hisoka replied, laying her gently on his mattress. "So just relax; I will just sleep on the couch for the night if it makes you feel better."

The platinum blonde stared at Hisoka with a shocked expression on her face. Narrowing her eyes towards the Jester, she looked at him suspiciously. "Who are you, and what have you done with Hisoka?"

Hisoka stared at Vividus in a daze, "Still me, my crimson flower. I don't like tormenting you because you're weak. I'm sure I will be able to bed you again one day."

At that moment, Vividus lifted her hand and lightly punched Hisoka's chest. Her face had become flustered once again. "I-Idiot."

"I think the term: _clever_ sounds more accurate."

Hisoka picked up the duvet with his hand and covered Vividus's body. He could see nothing but her head peeking out at the top of the bedding. As he examined the woman in front of him, he began to wonder whether he was suddenly so affectionate towards her.

So many questions, yet no answers.

"Hisoka?" Vividus called out, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," He replied, standing up from his spot. "We'll talk more in the morning. Since you'll be in town for a bit, you should watch my match against Kastro tomorrow."

"Kastro?" Vividus replied, raising an eyebrow, "Didn't you defeat him a few years ago?"

"Indeed, I did. However, Kastro wants vengeance on my poor soul." Hisoka chuckled darkly, "I hope he's gotten stronger. It would be unfortunate if I spared his life for nothing."

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Vividus replied, "It's not like you're going to lose an arm or anything."

"I suppose you're right." He said, smirking. Soon he stood up and walked towards the door. "Now get some rest. I'll leave you alone for the night."

The jester heard Vividus shuffling around in Hisoka's bed as he walked away. As he was about to turn off the lights, he heard the woman call out to him. "I need to know...are you going to accept the mission?"

Those words stopped Hisoka in his tracks. Letting those words sink in, he saw a faint memory of Vividus in the stunning ocean blue dress. Remembering how beaten and exhausted she appeared after defending him against Esther and the boy's nen beast.

He let out a small sigh, knowing that Vividus and the Chairman needed an answer. He still doesn't understand why the Chairman chose him. He knows the old man can find someone else to protect Vividus, but why him?

Why must Hisoka be the one to bear responsibility for standing by Vividus's side?

Or worse, why does he even care?

Not wanting to look back at Vividus, he simply nodded his head and turned off the bedroom lights. Thinking for a moment, he contemplated in his thoughts before making his final response.

"I accept your offer," Hisoka said. "However, I do expect to be compensated by this, since my life will be on the line. But I am sure we can discuss the details when we meet with the Chairman."

Hisoka could've sworn he heard a sigh of relief escape from her lips. "Alright, I'll let Oji-san know in the morning."

"Good night, Vivi-chan," Hisoka said now, closing the bedroom door. He heard the Kurta woman yawn and answered in a tired voice.

"Sweet dreams, Hisoka."

After closing the door, Hisoka made his way to the living room and sat down on his couch. Taking out his phone, he called a pink-headed spider.

Oddly enough, she answered.

"What do you want, Hisoka?" The woman asked in a monotone voice.

"Ah Machi~ So cruel." He replied, chuckling a bit. "What happens if I said I wanted to hear your lovely voice?"

"Hisoka, if you don't tell me what you want, I'm hanging up the phone."

"Ah fine, you caught me~." He replied, "I know I asked you to come tomorrow. However, I no longer require your services."

"Oh?" Machi said, sounding oddly surprised over the phone. "I was going to arrive in town in a couple of hours. What changed your mind?"

As Machi asked that question, he glanced over at his bedroom door, where the certain Kurta woman was sleeping. The last thing he wanted was for Vividus to go blood craze for her blood.

Though he has no idea what their old friendship was before the massacre, Vividus's still after their heads. Since he just accepted her proposal on a mission, he doesn't want her to get distracted.

"After my match tomorrow, I have made arrangements. Therefore, your services are no longer needed~. I hope you're not mad!"

"I'll be honest, I am a bit pissed since I came all the way out here for nothing," She replied, "But it can't be helped. I do expect payment for having me come all the way out here."

"I promise I will wire the money to your account~." He replied.

"Good. Oh, by the way: the message has been changed."

"Oh? How so?" Hisoka asked, staring out the window of the city nightlife.

"Instead of _"Anyone who has nothing better to do."_ Everyone must now meet up in Yorknew City on September 1st." Machi said over the phone. "If you don't show up to this one, Chrollo will hunt you down and punish you himself."

"Interesting~," Hisoka said, chuckling darkly. "I shall keep that in mind! Thank you for the fair warning, Machi."

"Whatever, I'm hanging up now."

Before Hisoka could say anything, the line on the other end of the phone abruptly ended. Rolling his eyes, Hisoka tossed his phone off to the side of the couch.

Hisoka is the type of man who never mentions his past. He does not seem to be interested in events that occurred so long ago. He solely focuses on the present.

As he runs his fingers through his fushia hair, all he wants to do is focus on what's in front of him since that's what interests him the most. That is Vividus and the mission she just presented to him.

He has plenty of time before his new toy, Gon, will be ready for him to face again. He may as well get a job to pass the time. But he knows it's much more than that. Much more than he thinks.

Looking towards the door, hisoka narrowed his eyes at where the platinum beauty sleeps. Reiterating the words the Chairman said about him, the old man put forth some useful facts about Vividus's experience. He won't hesitate to kill someone if he needs to, but will Vividus have the heart to do it? Sure she had no problem killing the Phantom Troupe, but this is different.

Sinking onto his couch, he was curious about the promise Vividus made toward a particular child. He was even more curious about why she had started heavy work in the first place. Had there been a confrontation between the Kurta siblings?

' _More questions, yet no answers.'_ Hisoka thought to himself, 

> **_'At least not yet. I'm sure I'll find out in due time.'_ **

* * *

[Author's note]  
HI EVERYONE! I hope all of you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry if it was so long! I hope the long chapter compensates for the long wait XD  
  
So remember I told you guys before that I was drawing again? Well, I wanted to make a new book photo for my Wattpad account to kinda match this upcoming arc. Since this site doesn't have cover photos, I still wanted to share what I have so far with you all on this end!   
_  
_

1\. This is Vividus's new outfit this arc, I still miss her old jacket ;__; but I'm sure I'll come back at some point...maybe.

2\. Yes, Hisoka will be dressed up differently for this Arc, it shall be revealed why at some point ;)

3\. Heres another photo of just Hisoka alone, ya'll will thank me later <3

**[HISOKA AND HIS BOOTY GAME. BAHAHAHAHHA]**

Anyway, that's all I have for now. stay tuned for the next chapter!  
Stay safe during the pandemic everyone!

-NezuVIX


	32. Curiosity

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - O N E**_

**It was now morning,**

Vividus woke up with the sun. Upon rising, she left Hisoka's room as quickly as possible without waking the Jester. Due to fighting Kastro today, so the last thing she wanted to do was to disturb Hisoka.

After she successfully left his room, Vividus had plenty of time to herself today. After she informed the Chairman about Hisoka joining the mission, she decided to see what Gon and Killua were up to. Hehehe, she met up with the boys for lunch.

After they reached a restaurant, the three of them ordered their food. Vividus has a plate of egg benedict with her usual coffee, Killua has a plate of waffles covered with strawberries and whip cream, and Gon with a stacked hamburger, fries, and chicken tenders.

It was a good day so far.

During our time together, the three individuals caught up with each other. While Vividus was telling her about her ventures, the two boys were telling her about their Nen training with their Nen teacher, Wing.

She grinned a bit knowing that the Hunter Association had chosen Wing. Vividus and Wing both taught together under Biscuit, and she got to know the guy well over the years. She is glad that Gon and Killua received such a good teacher.

At some point, Gon and Killua would begin to ramble on about Hisoka's fight today. Killua explains to his friend that as a 200th-floor contestant, they get first dibs on reserving tickets. Let alone how Killua was somewhat excited to know that Gon's rival, Hisoka, is famous among the Heavens Arena community.

"I tried gathering information about Hisoka to see what he's all about. It turns out he's the real deal." "He has an 8-3 record with six K.O.'s but lost three matches. Two as forfeits and one against Vividus."

Gon's eyes lit up in admiration, staring at Vividus with sparkling eyes. "Wait, you fought Hisoka before?!"

The platinum-blonde nodded her head, taking a sip of her coffee. "Of course, I met Hisoka here at Heavens Arena, actually. At the time, he tried to challenge me to take my Floor Master title." Vividus reached over to Killua and ruffled his hair, not breaking eye contact with Gon. "This is also where I met the Kiddo as well."

Killua groaned in embarrassment, "Oi! Stop it!" Vividus ignored his pleas and kept ruffling his hair until she was satisfied.

"Gosh...Vividus-nee I didn't realize you were a Floor Master!" Gon beamed, admiring the blonde with glee. "Considering you won against Hisoka, it must've been a flawless victory."

Vividus chuckled softly, retracting her arm away from the Zoldyck child. "Trust me, it wasn't an easy win. I just got lucky and was able to be one step ahead of Hisoka. If I hadn't taken that chance, I would've lost." Vividus admitted as she rubbed the back of her neck in discomfort.

"Besides that one lost against me, Hisoka never lost a fight against anyone else. If it wasn't for him not showing up for certain matches, he would've become a Floor Master by now."

Gon nodded his head, taking in the information. "Wow...that's pretty intimidating."

Killua and Vividus expected Gon to be shaking in fear. Yet, when they looked at him, they both saw how he's instead trembling with excitement. Vividus just shrugged and continued drinking her coffee, unfazed.

"By the way," Killua said, breaking the silence. "How did it go with Kurapika? Didn't you two ended up going back to the village to reconnect?"

As soon as Killua asked that simple question, the Zoldyck child felt Vividus's expression turn somber. As he watched her movements, she looked down at her cup of coffee with a sad smile. As Killua looked at his friend, Gon was just as confused as he was about why she felt that way. Both of the boys look at the platinum-blonde with worry.

"I don't believe it's worth mentioning. Come, let's go. I don't think you want to miss the fight," Vividus said, placing the bill for the food. And that caused the two boys to frown even more.

When she took notice, she looked at them in confusion, furrowing her eyebrows in concern. "What's the matter?"

"You look so sad when we mention Kurapika," Gon said honestly, "Did something happen between you two?"

As she let out a small sigh, Vividus nodded her head in response. "Let's just say the conversion didn't go so well as I expected."

"Really?" Killua said, raising an eyebrow, "that's really strange. The way you two act around each other. I thought it would be a nice reunion or something."

"Initially, yes," Vividus replied, "but as we dove deeper into the topic, things got complicated. He wasn't happy with my explanation, and well, I guess, as we put it, we're taking some time until the world's auction."

Killua asked in confusion, "How can it be so bad? If I were in his position, I would be happy no matter what knowing that you're safe and sound."

Vividus replied with a sad smile, causing Killua's frown to deepen even more. "You know how Kurapika can be at times when it comes to our clan, and frankly, I don't blame him for feeling how he does now."

"At the point, it's probably for the best," Gon said, smile wide in reply. "He is after all your brother. With some time apart, he'll calm down, and everything will be fine."

Letting out a small sigh, Vividus took a final swing of her coffee and placed it down on the table gently. Standing up from her spot, she looked at the boys with a small smile. "You're right; I'm sure everything is going to be ok. Now let's get going, shall we?"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

At that point, the three of them started to make their way back to the Tower. Despite the small talk about Kurapika, the atmosphere around the three changed drastically. Which made Vividus happy. The last thing she wanted was her mood to affect the boys.

As they approved the Tower, Killua started to explain more about the information he gathered about Hisoka and his opponent: Kastro. Describing how they both had a history together.

"This is your chance Gon, you get to analyze Hisoka's fighting style. You might even get to see him go all out!" Killua exclaimed, smiling brightly, knowing his plan was genius.

"Are you sure this is ok?" Gon questioned, "I made that promise with Wing-san."

"Promise?" Vividus asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Wing-san made me promise not to fight in any matches in the next two months, or to study or practice nen." Gon explained, showing a turquoise string wrapped around his pinky. "He wants my body to recover."

"Ah, that sounds like Wing," Vividus replied, nodding her head. "I guess he's serious about this since he made you wear it."

"Wait, you know Wing-san?" Gon inquired as we stepped onto the escalator.

"Yes...we trained under the same Master, a long time ago," Vividus said, recalling a brief memory of Biscuit beating the living daylights out of her students. "Ah...good times!"

Killua tried reasoning with both Vividus and Gon. "He's only watching the match! He isn't training!"

"Kiddo, that still counts as studying nen." Vividus replied, "Are you trying to get Gon in trouble?"

"No! I just want to help him!" argued Killua.

The moment the three of them reached the top of the escalator, standing at the top was none other than Wing himself. Looking down at the boys as he is not impressed by Killua's scheme.

Vividus is in fact correct; viewing a match counts as studying the use of the nen." Wing said, revealing an angry vein on his forehead. Gon and Killua turned and backed away fearfully. As Vividus waved a hand at Wing.

"Ah Wing! It's been a while~." Vividus said chirpily, smiling brightly at the glasses man.

"Vividus, I am glad to see you again." Wing greeted, "Now will you excuse me, I need to discipline these two."

Vividus shrugged, ignoring the two boys by stepping behind him, and they stared at her as she didn't bother to defend them in any way.

"Traitor," Killua muttered.

"Sorry Kiddo, I have nothing to do with this, so you guys are on your own." She explained, shrugging her shoulders.

Looking over at the small child with short brown hair, thick eyebrows, and broad hazel eyes, he was wearing a white standard karate gi with a red belt and a black turtleneck underneath. Extending her hand out, she would smile at the kid.

"My name is Vividus, and you are?"

The smaller child smiled brightly, taking her hand and shaking it wildly, "I know who you are! It's a privilege to meet a Floor Master like yourself! My name is Zushi."

Vividus smiled back, "It's a pleasure meeting you as well!"

On the moment of introduction, the conversation between Wing and the two boys ended. It was short; he just stated that Gon still had one month to go for recovery and left it. Wing turned to Vividus and smiled softly toward her.

"We should get together sometime when you're not busy. It's been a long time since we last saw each other."

"I agree; I'll contact you when I'm free." Vividus replied, "Unfortunately, my stay won't be long. I'm leaving tomorrow due to prior arrangements."

Wing's frowned slightly, "Oh? What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"Let's just say I have a job to attend to." She said, laughing nervously.

Wing stared at her with a look of disapproval but soon let out a small sigh. If one thing Wing knows about Vividus is once she takes on a job: it must be something big. After years of knowing her and training under Biscuit together, she isn't the type of person to take on just any small job. So he decided it was best not to push it.

"Alright," Wing said, "But I'll hold you to it!"

Laughing softly, Vividus nodded her head. "I promise I'll treat you to some food."

"Good," Wing replied, now looking over at the two boys. "Now, back to the matter at hand. I'm sorry, Gon but you watching Hisoka's fight is out of the question. Do I make myself clear?"

Wing looked up at Gon and nodded his head in understanding. "Good," Soon, Wing looked over at Killua while raising an eyebrow. "It is okay for you to watch Hisoka's fight. But you must do so alone."

Hearing those words, Killua couldn't help but sigh in defeat. He looked over at Gon with a pouting look. "Well...on the bright side, you can at least watch a recording of Hisoka's fight", Killua said to his friend, now looking up at Vividus. "I have a spare ticket to Hisoka's match. Do you want to watch it with me?"

"Of course!" the Kurta woman replied, "Thanks for your offer. We ought to get going if we don't want to miss Hisoka's match."

"Right!" Killua grabbed Vividus' hand and they started walking towards the Arena. "See you later, Gon!"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After Vividus and Killua parted ways with the others, the boy handed Vividus her ticket as Killua claimed he had to do something first before the fight started. Without questioning the boy's motive, she nodded her head and made her way towards the Arena and straight towards their assigned seating. As much as Vividus hates to admit: she was looking forward to watching Hisoka fight.

Having known Hisoka for a couple of years, this will be her first experience watching him fight. During her time at the Tower, she never bothered to watch other people fight other people. Even when she made it to the top, she never liked watching other people fight other people.

For some odd reason, she's excited to watch him fight. She wondered why. Could it be because this is the first ever battle she's ever watched in Heavens Arena? Or is it confidence that the Jester will annihilate Kastro easily?

Vividus couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for Hisoka's match today. She knows he can handle himself: but she also knows he can be a reckless fighter.

The last thing she wanted was to watch him die during this first match.

"Sorry, it took so long!" Beamed a voice, "I had to check something out".

A familiar voice snapped her back into reality, and she glanced over and saw the white-haired boy putting his hands in his pockets. His eyes were fixed on the Arena.

Looking down, she could see the boy's legs shaking uncontrollably. Killua staring into the distance as if he had seen a ghost. Blinking a few times, she reached up her hand and gently poked the boy's cheek.

"What was it that you had to check out?" Vividus inquired, her eyebrow raised.

"I wanted to see how strong Kastro was," Killua said, "but he caught me before I could spy on him."

"Oh?" Vividus said, now piquing her interest. "How did he catch you?"

"He said I didn't conceal my zetsu in time." He explained, "Instead, I covered my aura after approaching his door and that's why he managed to catch me off guard."

Vividus couldn't resist laughing a bit at that statement, which caused Killua to whip his head at the woman with an annoyed look. "It's not funny!"

"You're right; it's not funny," Vividus said, now looking at Killua with a smug look. "It was hilarious."

At that moment, Vividus earned herself a punch on the shoulder by Killua. Which caused her to laugh even more. "You're terrible."

Rolling her eyes, she would ruffle Killua's hair in response. Causing him to hiss at her and try to swat her hands off. But the moment she started to gently pet his hair, he melted.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

Watching Killua stick his tongue out towards Vividus, she would retract her hands back and place them on her lap. As both stared at the Arena, Killua gazed over at Vividus again with a curious look on his face.

"I am curious to know. Who do you think is going to win? Kastro or Hisoka?"

"Is that even a question?" Vividus said, looking up at the big screen to see images of Hisoka playing. "No doubt, Hisoka is going to win."

"Really?" Killua asked, surprised at how confident her answer was. "Why?"

"It's simple," She said, turning her attention towards Killua. "When it comes down to it, Hisoka is far stronger than Kastro. I'm saying this as someone who's fought him before. Hisoka is one of the few individuals in my life who I'll ever consider a strong fighter."

"Hmm...I suppose so." Killua said, putting his hands behind his head. "It sounds like you're complimenting him, though."

"If Hisoka was here, he would've taken it as a compliment." Vividus admitted, "But like I'd ever say it to his face though."

Hisoka sneezed as if on cue, looking around curiously as to who was talking about him.

Back to Killua and Vividus, the boy took in her words and nodded in understanding. "I don't know...when he caught me. He gave off a powerful presence. I honestly think Kastro may win this."

"You think so?" Vividus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Keywords: I think," Killua responded, looking back towards the Arena. "I suppose we'll find out, won't we?"

"True," Vividus replied, while the spokesperson discussed Kastro's backstories with Hisoka.

_Vividus thought to herself as she watched Kastro emerge onto the Arena. 'If he loses, then I guess Hisoka isn't as strong as he claims.'_

As she watched Hisoka appear onto the scene, Vividus suddenly noticed the Jester's golden hues suddenly looking up towards her. Blinking a few times, she was amazed that Hisoka could scout her out in the crowd.

He stared at her blankly with a cocky smirk on his face; he didn't have to say anything else. His expression alone screamed at her.

_'Watch me win.'_

After they stared at one another, Hisoka glanced away from Vividus and focused on Kastro. As the referee stared the two of them down, he swung his hand down, a move that got the crowd's attention.

"FIGHT."

**~.:x_Time Skip_x:.~**

The match between Kastro and Hisoka concluded with Hisoka winning. After the match, Vividus bid Killua farewell and went back to the Jester's room.

Sure, he won; however, he had to pay the price of losing both his arms during the fight.

She burst through the door of Hisoka's room to find the Jester sitting there. Lifting his head up, he was surprised and laughed. Vividus watched his lips curl into a grin and chuckled.

"Surprised to see you here, Vivi-chan." Hisoka replied. "I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to appear here."

Rolling her eyes, Vividus closed the door behind her and stepped forward to examine the man. As she observed the man, she could see that Hisoka was constantly using his Aura to save himself from bleeding out, but something was just holding it all together: barely.

Vividus started. "You know, after watching today's match, I thought you were a clever man."

"Whatever do you mean~?" Hisoka asked, blinking a few times.

"You're an idiot." She said, as the Jester laughed. "Seriously, what were you thinking? We need you for tomorrow's mission, and you let them be chopped off like that?""

"Who knows~." Hisoka said, looking away from Vividus, "Maybe I wanted to put on a show?"

"For who?" Vividus asked, raising an eyebrow. "Just who were you trying to impress out there?"

Without saying a word, Hisoka turned his attention back to Vividus, which caught her by surprise. They stared at one another without saying anything at all. Hisoka's silence surprised Vividus, knowing he is usually quite chatty.

Letting out a small sigh, she scratched the back of her head neck as this irritated her. Despite her question being left answered, she knew that she couldn't leave Hisoka like this. Vividus needed Hisoka for her mission, let alone Hisoka contacting a certain someone to stitch up his arms.

Walking over towards the sink, Vividus turned on the water and activated her nen. Swinging her hand around, she controlled the water towards her hand and formed a sharp knife dagger. Holding the handle in her hand, she walked over to Hisoka and stood in front of him.

Blinking a few times, Hisoka looked between Vividus and her ice-dagger. Raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly. "My Vivi-chan, if you wanted to kill me, you could be more creative than using a measly dagger."

"Idiot, this isn't for you," Vividus stated, letting out an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes. "I'm going to heal you."

"Heal me?" Hisoka quired, "I never knew you were a healer, Vivi-chan. How would your water possibly heal me?"

Vividus didn't reply. Instead, he watched the woman before him slowly opened her eyes. No longer seeing those hazel-grey eyes of hers but the familiar colour he adores so much. With her eyes glowing red, it wasn't angry nor lustful from what he's seen in the past.

This was the first time Hisoka has ever seen her eyes glow in a content way.

Watching her face twist in pain, he looked down to see Vividus cut the palm of her hand and did the same with the other hand. Judging by the amount of blood that was escaping, it was definitely a deep cut.

Hisoka frowned.

"Vivi-chan, what are you doing?"

Once again, no response. When the aura around her suddenly changed, the blood no longer dripped but was instead floating in palms of her hands.

As she placed the bloodied ice-dagger on the table, Vividus wrapped her hands around Hisoka's forearms and held it in place. Her gaze was now directed towards Hisoka, looking at him with a warm expression.

He had never seen such an expression before.

"I need you to release whatever is holding your arm together, once my blood is wrapped around the wound, I will tell you to release your aura and begin the treatment."

Despite Hisoka's silence she could see his concern on his face. She felt a small tug on the edge of her lips as she watched him stare at his hands. A chuckle escaped her lips as she looked at Hisoka with ressurance.

"I'll be fine if that's what you're worried about."

Hearing Hisoka scoff a bit, he looked at her with a look of displeasure. "I'm not worried."

Vividus smirked, rolling her eyes a bit and nodded her head. "If you say so."

After those words, Hisoka released the white fabric from his forearms, revealing the nasty injuries he sustained during today's battle. Examining Hisoka's arms, Vividus nodded her head to determine what needed to be done.

He watched as blood float around his injury as it attached itself to his skin, surrounding every bit of his skin, so he could no longer see the severed cut. Closing her eyes, she focused on her Heal Pulse ability, and the blood started to move.

"Release your Aura."

Hisoka released his aura. Vividus opened her eyes slowly and focused her gaze on Hisoka's arms as she breathed slowly. Those simple words caught Hisoka's attention.

" _Heal Pulse_."

Because of how blinding the light was, Hisoka had no choice but to look away from her as she said those words. The moment she said those words, the blood that covered his cut suddenly started to glow.

When it was shining for a few moments, the light was gone. Feeling no longer the warmth on his skin, Hisoka opened his eyes and looked back down at his arms.

Raising his arms up, he examined them both to see that his severed arms were now attached back to his body again. He could feel his fingers move at his command. Taking a closer look, he could even see that the nasty cut he knew was going to scar: was gone too. He feels so much better than before and felt his body was now in excellent condition, to his surprise.

Hisoka was amazed.

Lifting his head up, he looked at Vividus with bewildered eyes. He knew that his crimson flower was talented one way or another: but this healing ability? It was out of this world for him. O

Only one word managed to elude her because it was the only one that seemed appropriate to ask.

"How?"

Before Vividus could utter another word, she just laughed nervously. Her bright skin had become paler, and Hisoka saw her legs become weak. Realizing what was happening, he shot up from his seat and grabbed hold of Vividus before she fell over.

"I-It's called Heal Pulse. It's only activated when my scarlet eyes are active. I can h-heal anybody's injury or even restore a missing body part." She stuttered weakly, resting her head on his chest. "H-However, the condition of using this ability is I have to sacrifice some of my blood...equivalent exchange if you want to call it that. H-However I cannot bring back the d-dead. Depending on the amount of blood I use...I end up sleeping for at least two days so my blood can recover."

Hearing her shaky breath, Hisoka frowned upon seeing her in this state. Picking her up in bridal style, Hisoka started to walk towards his bedroom and gently placed her on his bed once more.

Hisoka, sitting on the edge of the bed while removing Vividus's boots, asked, "Why did you use it knowing the effects were severe?"

"I-I can't just leave you that way, you know..." Vividus said, "Plus...I knew you would call Machi to repair your arms...I don't know what I would've done if I'd seen her."

The moment she said those words, Vividus passed out. Letting out a small sigh, Hisoka looked down at Vividus with a look of disbelief. Sitting up from his spot, Hisoka would lift the cover's up and tucked her in. Walking out of his room as he knew it was best to let the woman rest.

Thinking of Vividus's words, he knew that she was right about him calling Machi, but the only difference was: He cancelled her services since he knew that Vividus would have gone blood crazy.

He didn't want Machi to find out about his relationship with the Kurta survivor, only Pakunoda knew about it. It's good that the blonde woman was willing to keep her mouth shut, considering she is extremely loyal to the Troupe.

Pakunoda herself cares about the woman. Enough for her to be willing to help Vividus place her on the right path to regain her memories. That alone shows that Pakunoda has a soft spot for Kurta survivor.

If Machi had found out about him talking to the platinum blonde, no doubt she would've reported back to Chrollo right away. Not only would both Hisoka and Pakunoda be in trouble, but their punishment would be death itself.

Looking down at Platinum-blonde, Hisoka was curious about her previous relationship with the Phantom Troupe. He had heard small bits and pieces from Pakunoda that she had once been close with the leader and the original members, but never as an official member.

He found this odd since the Troupe is a group of murderous thieves. How had Vividus become acquainted with the group? Close enough that she knows specific members' nen abilities?

Hisoka is the one who has no interest in the past. He always solely focus on the present. By tomorrow he'll even forget about Kastro's face because he's now part of the history.

But for Vividus. This was different; his curiosity grew more and more piqued by her past—every moment with her increased his desire to find out more about her.

He does not care if curiosity kills the cat: his thirst to know more is stronger than he expected. Besides the physical attraction, he wants to discover what makes her so appealing to everyone.

If Hisoka gets the information he needs, he may finally be able to put his interest in the platinum-blonde to rest. Perhaps learning what lies beneath the surface will satisfy his urges towards her.

_Hisoka thought to himself, 'I'm sure once she opens up to me, she'll turn out to be a disappointment: just like everyone else.'_

> **Or so he thought.**

* * *

**[Author's note]  
  
Hey lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! **

**Remember how in the last chapter I showed you guys snippets of the artwork I'm working on?**

**Well...IT'S FINALLY DONE! SO HERE YA GO!**

**I will post the photos of Hisoka and Vividus on their own! (Which will be posted at the end). Just for fun, I will also be drawing out more characters that will be introduced in the Arc. So stay tuned for more artworks ;)  
**

**I hope ya'll like it! Stay tuned for the next chapter!** **Love you all, and please stay safe during this pandemic!**

**Yours truly,**

**-NezuVIX**


	33. Hizashi x Ragni

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - T W O**_

**_Opening my eyes,_ **

_I looked around me to see that it was the same dream as before. Vividus is wearing the same ocean blue dress, looking beat up as ever. Before her was the same boy and his Nen beast getting ready to strike. Just a bit further away, the woman in the cheetah mask snarled towards the platinum blonde, suddenly making her command that caused the battle to commence once more._

_"Finish her."_

_The moment I heard her command, the boy dashed towards Vividus. Feeling their aura suddenly surged and black sand-like nen coating their body. As his nen was activated, blood streamed down the child's cheek, and a deformed beast appeared out of nowhere and started to attack her. Vividus advanced forward and began to fight against the boy._

_By her actions, I knew she was trying to not harm the child. From the way she's dodging more than fighting, I understood she was trying to disable him without killing them._

_Since the Kurta woman is focused on the boy, she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings. She is so focused on wanting to save him, she forgot one of the most important rules of combat: pay attention to your surroundings._

_I stared back at the woman in the mask only to see a little girl appear out of nowhere. Her Nen-beast looked like another fox, deformed in shape, and armed with a blunt spear. Aiming at Vividus and the boy._

_Esther knew that her attention is focused on the boy; the crazy woman knows that children are her weakness. Knowing this fact, I now see a sadistic smile forming across her lips. As I read the situation, the masked woman would sacrifice the little boy so the second child could make her shot. What's worse is Vividus doesn't even know about the second child suddenly being present. Not realizing that the spear is targeted towards her._

_Feeling my body ache, I tried to conjure nen to my hands. Hoping to at least use my remainder of my Bungee Gum and force her out of the way. But nothing was happening, I was at my limit, and there was nothing I could do._

_Vividus is going to die._

In a sudden jerk, Hisoka jumped up from his bed and breathed heavily. Placing his hand over his heart, he felt his heart pounding against his chest. Closing his eyes, he tried his best to calm himself once more.

The Kurta woman has been recovering for the past two days after Vividus has passed out on his bed. Despite hating taking care of others, the Kurta woman had to be taken care of, since she treated his arms.

Since Vividus became bedridden in the Jester's room, he has been by her side as much as he can. He only left the room briefly to gather supplies for the mission.

Which is new to Hisoka; he has never done it before.

His whole life, he's only been concerned about himself and what he wants, what he needs. He never cared about anything else unless it directly benefited his own wants. So sitting by her side for the last two days was a new experience for him.

As people may know, Hisoka Morow is a selfish man. He has no problem admitting that to himself and has no shame in it. However, experiencing the notion of being worried about someone else other than himself is new to him. He's starting to feel certain emotions that are making him experience the discomfort of worry. In all honesty, he hates how it's starting to make him grow softer towards Vividus.

It was slowly becoming a concern for the Jester.

"Hisoka..?" A soft voice called out, "Are you alright?"

He raised his head and looked at the now awakened Kurta woman. Her hazel-grey hues staring into his golden ones. He was surprised to see a look of concern on the woman, mostly if it had something to do with him.

Now that he thinks about it, Vividus has demonstrated genuine concern for Hisoka for the first time.

She doesn't seem annoyed, uneasy, or cold towards him like she usually would. If he was honest with himself...he enjoyed the attention he was getting from Vividus, mainly as he's used to the sassy side of her.

"I'm fine, Vivi-chan~." Hisoka reassured, "I'm delighted to see that you're finally awake."

"Are you now?" She asked, laughing a bit while sitting up on her bed. "How long have I been out for?"

"Two days," He replied, "but it was awfully boring. All I did was watch over you."

Hisoka observed Vividus’s expression widen a bit. Looking at him in disbelief, she stared at him incredulously: “You were watching over me?”

"Of course," the Jester replied, "I wasn't given a choice."

"Hisoka, everyone has a choice," Vividus commented, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "You just happened to make one."

Hisoka felt his eyes widen at this moment. He felt like the time suddenly stopped as Vividus had done something that she had never done before. Especially towards him.

She smiled.

"Thank you." She said softly, "For watching over me."

Hisoka's jaw agape when she said those words; and for once, his brisk heartbeat accompanied his flushed cheeks. While looking away from the Kurta woman, he tried to avoid her gaze so she wouldn't notice.

For once in his life, Hisoka Morow is actually blushing.

"... You're welcome."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After Vividus got out of bed, she wasted no time in making travel arrangements to reach their destination.

Hisoka was impressed with the efficiency of her work. One minute, they were sitting in Hisoka's room; the next, they are now sitting in a fancy black chair on the way to a private airport.

While Hisoka played cards, Vividus stared out the window and watched the scenery go by. As the woman's leg shifted in her lap, he glanced down to see, smirking a bit, that even with her composed self, she was nervous.

"What's on your mind this time, Vivi-chan?" the Jester asked, twirling a card in his hand.

She replied without bothering to look back at Hisoka: "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I mean." He replied, "We're not even there yet, and already you're jumping around. Just admit you're nervous."

At first, there was silence. But soon after, he heard a small sigh escape her lips. Turning her head over, she stared at the Jester with her arms crossed. "Fine, I'm nervous."

"About~?" He pushed.

"About the mission." She replied, "I know we haven't even arrived yet, but you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

"My dear, I know exactly what I'm getting into." Hisoka grinned with pleasure. "Oh, the possibility of fighting tough adversaries. This is something I live for~!" Vividus heard the moan of pleasure escape his lips. Which caused her to flinch in discomfort.

"That may be the case, but we still have to be careful. A lot can go wrong during this mission, and we can't afford any failures."

"We?" Hisoka repeated, raising an eyebrow. "This sounds more like a "you" situation than an "I." Why are you so focused on this mission being successful?"

"I have my reasons."

"Oh? Like what?" Hisoka queried, scooting closer to Vividus as their hips are now touching one another.

"Why do you care?" Vividus asked, staring at Hisoka disapprovingly. "You're asking a lot of questions."

Hisoka admitted, "I merely want to know your objectives on this mission for myself. To my knowledge, your main focus is to kill the Spiders and retrieve the eyes of your brethren. Why this mission is an exception?"

After hearing Hisoka's lengthy reply, the woman's eyes widened in shock. Surprised by how much he noticed how she was responding. Vividus is aware of her actions, but she wasn't expecting him to be this alert.

"What does it matter if I want this mission to be successful?" Vividus asked, deciding to be a little more stubborn.

Hisoka said bluntly, licking his lips in delight, "Because if we don't communicate, I'll end up killing every single person in the room."

When hearing his comment, Vividus clicked her tongue. Hisoka had a point although she detested his response.

She should've known better. This is Hisoka Morow, the man who gets off on fighting powerful opponents and does anything he likes. Despite agreeing to the terms and conditions, the Jester is still unpredictable.

Even though she didn't want to expose herself, she couldn't help but comply with his request.

"...During the time when I went undercover, I spent a lot of time with Esther. While trying to get close to me as a friend, I was trying to obtain more information about The White Garden Project. But one day, Esther decided to surprise me and take me somewhere." She said, looking away from the Jester's gaze. "She took me to an orphanage that she ran. It was filled with children. They're all unique in their own way. But among the children, one stood out in particular."

She reached into her pockets and pulled out her phone. After scrolling through it for a while, she showed him a picture.

Vividus was smiling as she embraced a boy with short brown hair, a white button-up shirt, and a pair of plaid shorts. The boy was also smiling as if each of them were having a great time. The sight of this image made his heart drop. He felt the air leaving his lungs as he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

It was the same boy that Vividus battled in his dreams.

"His name is Tobias," Vividus continued, taking her phone away and now staring down at the photo. "One of the sweetest boys I have ever met. His eyes sparkled with wonder and innocence. He reminded me of a boy that I knew who was close to Kurapika when they were little. The overall orphanage was a beautiful place. I was genuinely impressed and gave Esther the benefit of the doubt and thought she wasn't as bad as I thought..."

Hisoka saw her eyes flash red for a moment. Vividus tried to maintain her calm, but he could tell that she was fuming with rage.

"But, I was wrong."

At that moment, Hisoka was now suddenly drawn into Vividus's story. He wanted to know what made her angry so suddenly. He also wanted to know what motivated her to do this in the first place.

But then, the moment ended when the car stopped. As the Jester peered out the window, he saw a private area with an air blimp a few feet away: waiting for them.

"Let's go."

Leaving Hisoka behind, Vividus opened the door as she began to walk toward the ship. He stared at the woman from behind and felt irritated. Getting out of the car, he started following Vividus from behind. Frowning slightly in displeasure.

"Just after she reached the good part."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

The ship quickly left the airport and made its way to Jappon, taking the opportunity to give Hisoka a tour of the ship in advance. She showed him the dining room, the training room, and other places he could use while on the ship.

At the end of the tour, they finally came to the room Hisoka assumed was his.

"This is the place you're staying at," Vividus said, handing him a keycard. "If you need me, I'll be down the hall if you have any questions."

"Thank you," He said, picking up the key card in his hands and placing it in his pocket, "I couldn't have imagined how accommodating this place was; I must admit I am impressed."

I'm glad to hear that, and I will inform the chairman as well." She replied in a deadpan tone, "Gaia-san will call us if necessary, but in the meantime, I've got some business to attend too, so keep yourself busy."

"I see, you're leaving me here alone?" Hisoka muttered, "what am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Hisoka, you're an adult. I am confident you will be fine." Vividus sighed. "I have to meet with Hizashi for a training session. I'm sure you can keep yourself busy."

"So rude, Vivi-chan. Are you like that with all of your guests?" Hisoka asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're not a guest," Vividus said bluntly, "And that's why I gave you a tour of the place. To keep you busy while I do my own thing. You'll be fine."

"But it's not as entertaining if you're not around~," Hisoka said, placing a hand on his hip. "If you're going to be training, at least let me watch! I promise I'll be on my best behaviour if you let me come."

"I doubt it very much," she replied, crossing her arms across her chest.

As Vividus was about to respond pleasantly, she was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice from behind. "I'm sure having Mr. Morow observe us wouldn't be so bad. After all, I'm sure he can learn a few things from us, right?"

Hearing Hisoka's voice, both figures turned around to see a man directly behind them. Hisoka glanced over at the figure before him, as he was curious about who it was.

He looked like he was about six feet tall, about the same height as the other man. He had medium-long spiky black hair, and a large scar spread across his face underneath his eyes. He had a pair of piercing light green-yellow eyes. He wore a long black coat with a crimson red top underneath with dark grey dress pants. To finish the look, he has a black trenchcoat hanging off his shoulders.

He must admit that he was impressed. Hisoka had not noticed that his presence was there before He spoke out. From what he remembered, Hizashi Ragni was the leader of the Elementos from Vividus' Water Memory ability.

Feeling a Cheshire grin spread across his lips, Hisoka already wanted a taste of wanting to fight Hizashi. Even though he has excellent control of his zetsu, his aura alone already gives off a strong presence.

"Hizashi! How long have you been there?" Vividus said, raising an eyebrow towards the tall man. 

"Long enough," He said coolly, "I would've interrupted your conversation long ago. But I found it cute that you were bickering. I must say you two are quite interesting."

Vividus groaned at Hizashi's comment, "Please stop; there's no need to feed this man's ego."

Hisoka giggled, "I feel offended Vivi-chan."

The platinum blonde glared at the Jester a bit. "Good."

Hearing Hizashi chuckled and patted Vividus on the back. "Don't be hostile towards the man," he said. "Besides, perhaps you should spar with Hisoka, instead of me. You both might learn a thing or two during this sparring."

"Learn?" Hisoka asked, raising an eyebrow, "What makes you think I need to learn more than I do now, hm~?"

At that moment, he smiled at Hisoka, and the Fushia haired man smirked in return. Hisoka could tell the Elementos leader was trying to size him up in the most discreet way possible.

Hizashi's presence alone felt intimidating to Hisoka, and he loved every minute of it. Hisoka felt his lust to fight grow more than expected. But he tried to maintain his composure, because he refuses to show weakness towards the leader.

This caused Hizashi to grin even more.

"There is always room for improvement," Hizashi began, stepping away from the two figures. "Come on, let's go over to the training room and show Mr. Morow how strong you've become over the past few months."

Vividus groaned in response when Hizashi ruffled her hair, "You're embarrassing me! "

"Good." He said, "Oh, by the way, if you lose against Hisoka: You're giving me one-thousand squats."

"What?!" Vividus exclaimed, "Are you serious?!"

"Dead serious," Hizashi smirked, "So make sure you don't lose."

"My my, isn't that interesting." Hisoka cooed, giving Vividus his signature smirk. "I suppose I can't afford to lose against you."

Hizashi chuckled a bit when Vividus turned to face Hisoka and glared at him.

"I hope so too, because your punishment is much more effective than hers," Hizashi said, nudging Hisoka's arm with a cocky grin.

"Is that so?" Hisoka asked, still maintaining his smirk. "There is no possible way it could be worse~. So tell me, what is my punishment if I lose?"

At that moment, Hizashi glanced over at Hisoka and smiled even wider, bending down toward Hisoka and whispering his words, which caused Hisoka's smirk to fall:

_"Your punishment is living with the fact that you lost to Vividus...again. Which means you haven't grown at all in the last few years of knowing her. Tell me, Mr. Morow, can you live with that?"_

Hisoka felt his throat rumble a bit as he growled towards Hizashi's statement. His ren suddenly became dark and angry. The Jester felt a bit annoyed and angered towards Hizashi for saying such a thing.

On top of that, he was angry that he was right.

Hisoka Morow hardly ever loses in his life during combat. Vividus is the only few people that have ever managed to defeat him. But even then, it wasn't an easy win for her. But the fact that Hizashi dared to question his fighting skills and assumed he hasn't gotten stronger?

Now that was a real insult to the Jester.

Hizashi stared deeply into Hisoka's golden shade with his bright green one. Seeing how the leader won this battle and managed to have Hisoka lose his composure. Giving Hisoka a small pat on the shoulder, Hizashi moved away from him.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." He replied, "Now, let's get going, shall we?"

Vividus began to follow behind Hizashi as he walked away. But before following, she smirked at Hisoka with a smirk of her own.

"Let me guess, Hizashi got under your skin?" She chuckled darkly.

But Hisoka didn't answer; all he did was walk beside Vividus and continue to stare into Hizashi's back.

Although the Kurta woman wasn't certain of Hizashi's conversation with Hisoka, she seemed to be satisfied by the fact that the leader managed to make the Jester lose his composure;

> **even if it was just for a moment.**

* * *

**[Author's note]  
  
Hello my lovelies! I am so sorry if this chapter took so long! I had a lot happening on my end!   
  
How is everyone? Are you all doing well? I hope you are staying safe! **

**I started working on a drawing on what the Elementos squad is going to look like, just so all of you can have a visual. I'm super excited to show it to you all soon!  
  
At some point, I will also draw what Esther and Tobias look like as well, this photo however will have more of a darker tone than the other ones.**

**That's all I have for now, see you all soon in the next chapter!**

**-NezuVIX**


	34. Smooth

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - T H R E E**_

**As everyone entered the training room, an aura of tension spread around the room. Hisoka's insatiable spirit fought against Vividus' determined aura, while Hizashi watched as both hailed each other's courage.**

Hizashi grinned with smug pride. "Damn, I love how close it is between you two. Now I can't tell who will win!"

"Shut up, Hizashi!" Vividus barked, "Just start the match! We don't have all day."

"Aw, don't be like that, Vivi-chan," Hisoka said, "I think we should just have fun, for old times' sake, don't you think?"

"You called it fun?" she asked, "You must be kidding! Using my vessel control wasn't worth it."

"Oh? So that is what the ability is called?" Hisoka asked. "Vessel Control...sounds excruciating. I love it!"

Hearing Hisoka moan at the end of his sentence, she felt his ren grow darker than before. As she rolled her eyes, she moved her arms while summoning water from the waterskin.

"I look forward to beating you to a pulp."

"I'd like to see you try~!"

The Jester and the Kurta woman stood on opposite sides of the bridge. Both were intensely staring at each other as they waited for Hizashi's command. Even if it was just a few seconds, it felt like an eternity.

"Alright rookies, the rules are simple." Hizashi began, "With this sparring match today, you are allowed to use your nen abilities but I'll intervene if it gets out of hand. Do I make myself clear?"

Although neither party said a word, both the Kurta and Jester nodded their heads in understanding.

Hizashi looked at the two and marvelled at how still they were. Despite their tension growing between one another, he was now even more excited to watch the results. The leader trained his Vividus under his wing, but Hisoka's reputation precedes him.

He doesn't even know which team to bet on. But he doesn't care; he just wants to watch the chaos unfold. A part of him wished he had popcorn in front of him for the show about to unfold.

"Fight!"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

Hizashi wasn't sure how long had passed between the two combatants, but the fight was phenomenal. Neither of the two showed any signs of weakness. To his knowledge, they are both fairly evenly matched.

Currently, Vividus has used water to create an ice-scythe in order to fight off Hisoka's attacks. Like before, she was utilizing gyo in order to dodge Hisoka's death cards.

Meanwhile, Hisoka is in full offensive mode. Not once Hisoka held back with his brute force against Vividus, but he attacked her as if he was trying to kill her. The leader of the Elementos could see the blood-crazed expression plastered on his face. How that sinister smile is carved upward on his lips and getting off with the thrill of battle.

The chairman and Vividus weren't kidding about Hisoka's tendency when it comes to battle. He sort of feels sorry for putting Vividus in his position.

But at the same time...he doesn't.

As the battle between the two was being waged, he heard the door open. Hearing the familiar sound of the wooden geta clinking on the floor surface. Finally coming to a halt as a certain old man stood next to Hizashi.

"I see you decided to have the rookies face each other, hm?" The old man chuckled, playing with his beard.

"Of course," replied Hizashi, "when I heard the battle between Hisoka and Vividus back in the Heavens Arena days, I wanted to see what the fight was like, so I decided to put on my own show to witness the battle for myself."

"Are you now?" Netero asked. "Well, what do you think?"

Turning his attention away from the chairman, Hizashi looked back at the two fighters.

Hizashi smirked. "I must admit, I'm not be disappointed."

Netero nodded his head in understanding. Instead of leaving, the old man decided to stay and witness the battle up close. Since this is not the hunter's exam, the two fighters have a lot more flexibility in how they are fighting.

Of course, the chairman himself wanted to see how the two of them dealt with one another. It was because of their match that piqued his interest on Vividus to begin with. Furthermore, he wanted to know more about Hisoka because of his ruthless nature.

Hizashi was right; their fight was entertaining in fact.

Based on what the chairman gathered and researched about the Jester, he is indeed a transmuter. Hisoka is using his natural strength and skills in order to keep up with Vividus and his elemental fighting techniques.

Observing Hisoka's end of the battle, he could see that he had coated his deck of cards with pink nen. Vividus waved her hand and fired ice-bullets towards the Fushia haired man.

While putting away his cards, he would use his nen to expand it down to the ground as if he was stretching a rubber-like material. Hisoka was watching the objects as they were thrown in mid-air almost hitting his face.

"Wow, Vivi-chan, are you trying to kill me?" Hisoka smirked as he looked at Vividus.

"As tempting as that is, it sounds like a lot of work," Vividus said coolly, "Plus, I wouldn't like to make a mess in here since my colleagues wouldn't appreciate it."

After saying those words, Vividus watched Hisoka's smirk disappear.

"I'm offended; you think I'm that weak?"

"Never said you were," She replied, now forming a pair of ice gloves, "However, you haven't defeated me yet, so..."

She trailed off her words, giving the Jester a cheshire-like grin towards him. Mocking him, the Jester twitched in annoyance.

"Oh Vivi-chan, you always know how to rile me up." Hisoka hissed, his knuckles cracking with excitement. "I can't wait to see the look on your face when I win."

"Then let's continue the battle, shall we?"

When that moment came, Hisoka and Vividus advanced towards each other. Both fighters threw punches into the air, and as they collided, the fight began once again.

As their attacks exchanged, the battle became fiercer and more intense. As both parties fought intensely, neither wished to lose. At some point, the training room had a few craters and damaged walls.

However, regardless of the damage being made, no one wanted to lose.

Watching the two fight made Netero want to take part. But regrettably, he knew that he couldn't because he didn't want to meddle with this. He believed that would destroy their fighting spirit.

Netero, of course, didn't want to ruin it for them. He believed that sparring was helpful in making them understand one another.

Netero thought Vividus would win the battle due to the damage inflicted on Hisoka by Vividus. Hisoka was struggling backwards under the assault, and sloppy movements became evident as he continued to take hits.

He trapped many ice bullets with his nen ability: sending them back towards Vividus. But before any damage could be caused, the ice bullets liquified back into droplets of water. As this happened, Hisoka frowned a bit.

The chairman laughed a bit when he noticed a slight smirk tugging at her lips.

"My, what did you put the poor girl through when you were training her?" Netero asked, raising his eyebrow at the Elementos leader.

"Put her through the same training regime you put me through when you were training me," Hizashi replied.

"So, hell?" He asked with a cocky grin.

"Exactly."

The moment Hizashi had finished speaking those words, both the chairman and the leader of the Elementos stared at Hisoka being flown into a wall.

_'Ouch'_

Slowly raising his head, Hisoka looked up towards Vividus, who was slowly walking towards him. By the expression on his face, Netero could tell the rookie was experiencing all kinds of emotions right now.

When the old man thought, he saw the look of annoyance and defeat. It would be replaced with pleasure and anticipation. The chairman is not sure why he feels as he does. Yet, from what he can tell:

Hisoka is getting off from this battle.

"Vivi-chan! This fight is making me crazy right now!" Hisoka moans as he stands up from his spot. "I absolutely love how well you've honed your skills, you're driving me insane!"

The platinum blonde stared blankly at the Jester. Based on the way she reacts, Vividus is doing her best not to react to the Jester's words. If his suspicions were correct, he may have seen a slight blush appearing across her cheeks.

"I-Idiot!" Vividus yelled, "Now is not the time to be saying such useless things!"

"I'm just saying the truth, though!" chimed the man.

"Hisoka, focus!" She hissed.

Turning her water back into a scythe, she swung her weapon around as she charged toward Hisoka. Every time she was about to land a blow, though, Hisoka was able to deflect it with a card in his hand.

Netero was starting to notice that Vividus' attacks were becoming more inconsistent. Every time Hisoka made a comment about her, Vividus's expression started to become increasingly irritated.

But as she became more agitated, her attacks became less unpredictable and more sloppy. Vividus was racing; she lost focus and started attacking him with blunt force without planning.

As Hisoka was beginning to realize this, the two audience members saw a victorious smile spread across his cheeks. He was no longer using his arts, instead, he was able to swiftly deflect the scythe away with his hands.

He immediately saw a pink strand of nen attached to her blade as he touched the smooth part of her blade. With shock in her eyes, Vividus cursed under her breath and tried to pull away in time and form the water back into liquid form.

But it was too late.

Before she could do anything else, Vividus felt the ice-made weapon being forced into Hisoka's hand. As he held it in the air, he took a big swing and threw it behind him. The weapon now embeds into the wall.

As the platinum blonde began to fall backwards, Hisoka rushed towards Vividus and snatched her in his arms. The battle ended with Vividus being dipped backwards by Hisoka. Their faces were only inches apart.

Netero found the most amusing thing about everything was how Hisoka ended the battle with a tango move.

The old man let out a wholehearted laugh and looked up towards Hizashi, who seemed to like what had just happened. Netero himself felt it's quite gratifying to see that the battle ended in such an entertaining way.

Nevertheless, the results were clear as day:

> **Vividus has lost the battle.**

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

HI. I'M STILL HERE  
OMG 1.5K?! Thank you all so much for the read and for staying with me up to this point! I love you all!  
  
I'll be honest, I've been having a hard time writing this chapter due to writer's block. At the current moment I have this issue where I have all of these amazing ideas on how the middle of the arc is gonna go and how to end it: BUT, I'm having a moment where it's hard to start it up...RIP.  
That's why it took a while to upload.

ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS CHAPTER WAS DELAYED:  
  
I was working on a new art project I wanted to share with you all. 

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? I'm not gonna lie I loved how this turned out and I hope you love it just as much as I do!  
  
I PRESENT TO YOU!  
  
Netero's Personal Hit Squad: The Elementos!

[Featuring] Red: Hizashi Ragni, Green: Gaia, Yellow: Kuuki, Pink: Hisoka Morow, Blue: Vividus, Middle: Netero Isaac

 _ **WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?!**_  
  
If you are interested in having this image as a wallpaper, let me know in the comments below and I'll make an Imgur link!  
Also, I was thinking of making an Instagram account for artwork, chapter previews, and updates...would you all like that?  
  
Anyway, I'm going to do my best and get better with updates. Once again I am so sorry for the delay ;__;  
  
I hope all of you are staying safe during this pandemic. I appreciate you all!  
  
Take care,  
-NezuVIX  
  



	35. Gaia's Lore

> **C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - F O U R**

**Opening Vividus's room door, she slammed the door shut behind her. Her body ached, her mind was muddled, the Kurta woman didn't know what to do.**

After taking a quick shower to soothe her soreness, Vividus put on a pair of loose shorts and a tank top. Staring at herself in the mirror, Vividus saw the bullet wounds that Pakunoda left on her body.

As she traced her delicate fingers across them, she let out a small sigh. "No, now is not the time to think of them." She said to herself. Not wanting to think of those bastards, she started to think back on what happened in today's sparring match.

After exiting the bathroom, she would throw her towel onto a nearby chair and collapse onto her bed. Pulling her large pillow towards her, she would embrace her fluffy pillow.

She felt somewhat defeated after Hizashi declared her defeat to Hisoka. She did not care that the punishment that awaited her was 1,000 squats, far from it. If anything, she was angry with herself because she couldn't defeat Heroka with her own strength.

Despite their duel being just a sparring match, Vividus wanted to try and win without her vessel control and her scarlet eyes. Even though they boosted her fighting ability, she still didn't feel like using them. She felt like it was cheating.

However, as her mind rewinded to the match, she realized that the moment Hisoka invaded her thoughts again, her focus had slipped. Vividus knew her fight towards the end was based on her flustered emotions.

On top of it all, she couldn't get the image out of her head of how Hisoka ended the battle.

The look on his face when he dipped her backwards, how shamelessly he held her close to his body in front of the chairman and Hizashi, that stupid, charming grin he had when he knew he had won the match.

Despite everything he did, she was still flustered.

She understood that Hisoka and her always had a strange relationship. As far as she could remember, the Jester's introduction into her life changed everything.

When she was in the Arena when Hisoka lost her memories: He was nothing but selfish and only cared about himself. The only reason why he wanted to interact with her in the first place was he wanted to fight her.

The Jester became even more attached to her when she regained her memories. Especially with how recent events have been going.

To make her mind even more jumbled than before, she's starting to develop these weird feelings towards the man. An emotion that she hasn't felt in a really long time and too scared to act on. Every time she sees Hisoka's face, her face feels flushed or the little things he does seems to always get to her now. Even when she does her best to keep herself composed.

Ever since Hizashi and the Elementos had given her a spot on their squad, she tried her hardest to focus on the mission. While using the Elementos's resources to find her brethren's eyes, and hunt down the Phantom Troupe. She felt like no matter where she went, Hisoka was always there.

Even after she recovered her memories, Hisoka continued to be somehow involved behind the scenes. Pulling strings that she did not realize he was pulling till now.

She flipped over and laid her back against the bed. Groaning to herself as so many thoughts are filling her mind again, she began to rub her temples.

"I should stop overthinking this," Vividus said to herself, "Hisoka was just gloating and just wanted to show off. Nothing more, nothing less."

After saying those words to herself, she stared at the ceiling, trying to focus on something other than what had just transpired.

Even though she tried not to think about him, the image of Hisoka dipping her back like that made her blush even more. Groaning to herself, she buried her face into her pillow and started to scream.

"Stupid Jester!" She shrieked into her pillow, her sounds muzzled by its fluff. "Stupid Hisoka!"

While Vividus screamed and flailed in her bed, she didn't realize that someone was knocking on her door. After a couple of more knocks, the person decided to let themselves in and see what all the commotion was about.

The person laughed softly when they saw Vividus throwing a hissy fit on her bed. She talked softly towards the embarrassed Kurta woman.

Vividus heard thick accent, "my goodness, the sparring match did you a number, didn't it?"

As the pouting Kurta woman lifted her head from her bed, she looked toward her bedroom door. With her eyes widening a bit, there stood Gaia, one of the members of team Elementos that represents Earth.

In her room, Gaia slowly closed the door behind her and walked towards the blonde woman. Her hair was tied up with a bandana consisting of leaves in a maxi dress with golden light shining brightly. Her dark earthy green eyes compliment her dark earthy skin.

Even if Vividus was in a sour mood, seeing Gaia always made her feel better. She didn't know why. Despite knowing her for a short amount of time, she noticed that being with women always captivated her.

"Gaia?" Vividus pouted in question. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard what happened," she replied, sitting down on the edge of Vividus's bed. "Usually, a situation like that wouldn't get to ya...but clearly there's more to it than just that. What's going on?"

Burying her face in the pillow, Vividus pouted again. Closing her eyes, the memory of Hisoka dipping her back like that got her all worked up.

"It's more that I feel embarrassed," Vividus said, "I'm not upset that Hisoka won. I'm upset that the way he ended the battle was so...uncalled for."

"Oh, you mean the way he dipped you back?" Gaia asked, holding her chin in thought. "I don't know darlin', I think that was pretty smooth on his end."

"Smooth?!" Vividus exclaimed, "How was that smooth?!"

"Just think about it," She said, looking back at Vividus. "He didn't care at all whether Hizashi and the Chairman were there. His main focus was you, and you alone. Had anyone ever done that to me, I would've been left speechless."

While giggling and cupping her own cheeks, Gaia shifted from side to side, staring into space with a starry gaze. "You and Hisoka are absolutely adorable!"

Picking up a nearby pillow, she threw it at Gaia. Watching the pillow knock her back when it hit her in the face. "There is no love between us," she said.

"You say that," said Gaia, cuddling the pillow that Vividus threw at her. "But the chemistry is already there; you just don't notice it yet."

Vividus grunted, "Nonsense is all I hear, Gaia. I don't get why you think I have something with Hisoka, let alone chemistry."

Hearing Gaia move around on the bed. Gaia is now laying next to Vividus. As the platinum blonde gazes over at the green-eyed woman: all that she sees is her usual toothy grin on her face.

"Has the phrase "the red string of fate" ever crossed your mind?"

She looked over at Gaia curiously, blinking a few times, shaking her head in confusion. "No, I haven't, what is it?"

Raising her hand up, Gaia looked up at her hand. Smiling warmly and started to explain it's story. "In Japponese lore, it's said that human relations are predestined by a red string that the gods tie on people's pinky fingers. Those who are connected will find each other in life."

She said, "Legend has it that people connected by this thread will have an important story. Regardless of the time, place, or circumstances. The red string might get tangled, contracted, or stretched. But as things happen in life: it will never break."

Gaia lowered her hand as she glanced over at Vividus. As she glanced over, she could see that the Kurta woman was now lost in thought, as she took in this story.

"I see..." Vividus murmured.

Gaia laughed softly and stood up from her spot on the bed. She stretched her body out and then made her way towards the door. "Anyway, that's enough storytelling. Go get some sleep, okay?"

Sitting up on her bed, Vividus nodded her head and waved at Gaia. "Thank you so much again for stopping by Gaia. It really means a lot."

"Anytime child!" Gaia exclaimed, now opening her bedroom door. "Now get some rest, I need you two to meet me tomorrow. We have a lot to discuss regarding the mission. Have a good night!"

Gaia then closed the door behind her, leaving Vividus alone with her thoughts.

Turning off her lamp, she flopped back on her bed and lifted the covers over herself. Her only light source was her alarm clock as she shifted around and lifted the covers over her body.

She stared up at the ceiling, thinking about the story Gaia had told. Raising her hand up, she narrowed her eyes and stared at her pinky. The topic catching her attention, it triggered those simple words the old lady said before she lost her memories.

**_"When the spider bites you, you will lose all sense of yourself. However, with the Jester's smile: you will rise once more."_ **

'Was that what the old woman was talking about?' Vividus wondered to herself. 'If so..why Hisoka?' Why him instead of anyone else?

Vividus remembered the old woman's words and put her hand down to her side. As her body moved to face the window, she let out a small sigh. She stared out into the abyss of the night sky with her bright eyes.

"Red string of fate, huh?" she wondered longingly, "If Hisoka is on the other end of the thread...I wonder what the outcome is...life, or death?"

Feeling the sudden butterflies flutter around in her stomach. She would place her hand on her stomach. Frowning as Vividus is feeling this sensation again.

It wasn't pleasant. The last time she felt this way: she was taken advantage of and betrayed. Doubt began to creep into her mind as small memories of Chrollo, and the spiders began to creep into her thoughts again.

Her year with them was the happiest she's been since leaving the village. Yes, she travelled the world and trained under Biscuit: but something about them was a unique experience. She met her first real group of friends.

However, she didn't realize that within one night she lost everything.

The more she thought about it, the more she bit her lower lip. She felt cold shivers go up her spine due to how cold and cruel those memories were—the feeling of betrayal and trust-breaking in one night.

She feels trapped in the spider's web no matter how hard she tries. The spider's silk grabs hold of her body and soul and just drags her into the bottomless pit of darkness.

Even if Hisoka reaches out to get her out, she's afraid to accept it. The last thing she wants is to be shattered into a lifeless being again.

She couldn't bear to endure that again.

"I just can't," she said, closing her eyes. Trying her hardest to hold back her tears.

> **"Never again."**

* * *

**Author's Note:  
  
Hello my lovlies! I'm still here XD  
Just wanted to say thank you all again for reading up to this point. I appreciate you all <3   
I'm working on another art project...but this time it's a manga panel ;)   
I'll post it...eventually. Hehe**

**ANOTHER NOTE; I was thinking of starting up a Kite fanfic...what do you all think?**

**Anywho, stay safe: and take care!  
  
love,  
-NezuVIX**


	36. Hisoka's X Role

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - F I V E**_

(FEW HOURS EARLIER)

**_After the fight ended, the Jester couldn't look away from the Kurta woman._ **

Her platinum blonde hair, the sweat glistening off her peach-like skin, the hazel-grey eyes staring back in disbelief at the man. The best part here is how flustered the woman was, how easily she embarrassed herself.

He enjoyed every minute of this.

As Hisoka watched the woman's eyes finally snap back to reality, all he heard was an embarrassing shriek; her hands pounding on his chest as she became disoriented.

"Let me go!" She demanded, "You p-pervert!"

Hisoka grinned ear to ear, "You should know me by now, Vivi-chan; I literally have no shame. If you think this is perverted, imagine what I can do to you behind closed doors."

He noticed her complexion turning red from the words he said. Shaking her head frantically from side to side, she eventually managed to get out of the Jester's grasp, standing a couple of feet away, pointing at him like a stuttering mess.

"You stay there!" She shouted, "Don't you dare come near me!"

Whenever Vividus acted like her usual flustered selves, Hisoka felt he was beginning to get relief from this torment. Hisoka loved to see the poor kurta woman react like that, he couldn't resist such comical behaviour.

After he cornered the woman once again, he felt his shirt suddenly being pulled backwards. He looked back only to see Hizashi. His bright green eyes staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

Hizashi asked, "You finished torturing her? Because I believe you broke her mind."

"Aw, but Hizashi-kun~," Hisoka purred, "I'm just getting started!"

Rolling his eyes, he would begin to drag Hisoka away from the flustered woman. As he brought him to the opposite side of the arena, he would throw him toward the chairmen, who was seemingly enjoying the scene being brought before him.

"You can torment her another time. This woman needs punishment." He said with a sigh. "Besides, Gaia wants you to meet her in her studio. Netero, are you free to accompany him?"

"With pleasure, dear boy!" The old man laughed and turned to Hisoka with a silly grin. "Come, young man, we have so much to discuss!"

The chairman left the stadium as Hisoka followed. But before leaving, he couldn't resist a glance at the platinum-blonde before he left.

He could just see Hizashi working Vividus hard while screaming at her to get her squats done. But despite his yelling, the young woman looked absolutely stunned. His eyes pierced towards Vividus as the woman turned toward Hisoka. Her hazel-grey eyes stared at Hisoka in a way that his own eyes couldn't.

Hisoka couldn't resist licking his lips in delight, leaving Vividus stunned once more by all she saw was a wink from the Jester. Hizashi is confused as to why she is again in this state as Vividus backs up against the wall.

Seeing the poor woman again get flummoxed, Hisoka couldn't but help but laugh. As the Jester was satisfied with the results, he left the arena with a large smile on his lips.

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

After circling the airship, Hisoka kept the chairman closely in his sight. Watching the chairman like a hawk as his footsteps echo through the hall, Hisoka couldn't help but be a bit overjoyed to be there.

He walked behind the hunters' association leader, and it was upsetting to see that he wasn't allowed to fight him. Sure, he's assisting the hunters, but there's a part of him that wants to get a good fight on right away.

However, he did promise Vividus that he would behave himself;

Hisoka was a man of his word.

"Tell me, Mr. Morow," interrupted Netero, "I am amazed that you accepted Vividus's offer, why did you accept it?"

Hisoka glanced at the Chairman, shocked that the old man had suddenly asked a question. He smirked lightly and paused for a moment before deciding to inquire about it.

"There are a couple of reasons; Not only would I get some cash, I also get to see Vividus in her prime, which is an opportunity I wouldn't want to miss!" He admitted thoughtfully, "Also, my fruits in Heavens Arena are not quite ripe yet, so I decided to do something else while waiting for them to ripen."

As he noted in his comment, he expected the chairmen to react with disgust, but instead, they laughed wildly.

"What an interesting reply!" he bellowed, laughing more which caused Hisoka to sweatdrop a bit.

'Does he always laugh at everything?' thought the Jester, his head leaning to one side.

"You seem to be a man of integrity Mr. Morow," Netero said, smiling as he looked at the Jester.

"No wonder Vividus liked you so much."

Hisoka enquired in response to the chairman's words; "Does she now?"

The old man stroking his beard nodded as they walked down the corridors. "My lips are sealed." He said, zipping his lips tightly.

The Jester was eager to know more, but before he could, the chairman and Hisoka abruptly stopped. Looking upward, all the Jester could see was a fairly large wooden door with earthy tones. Netero smiled and placed his hand against the wooden doors.

"We're here!" He exclaimed, opening the large doors before him.

Upon entry, the chairman opened both doors wide open and entered the room. With hisoka observing behind, he would raise an eyebrow and follow, wondering where the man had taken him.

The moment they entered, Hisoka glanced around the area. As he took in the view before him, he could not help but let out a small whistle.

He found the room quite intriguing; there were several trees and ponds in the middle. As he continued walking, it appeared he saw butterflies flying all around the room (as if inside a conservatory).

Walking farther, they came to a platform with a desk and large rolls of different fabrics adorning the walls. Yet, despite her youthful appearance, Hisoka could tell that the woman she looked up to was much older than she appeared to be.

He acknowledges that the woman standing in front of him was attractive, but still his attention was on Vividus.

While writing down some notes on her desk, her emerald green eyes sparkled as she noticed Hisoka and the chairmen entering the room. The woman spoke enthusiastically, turning to the two men as she left her desk;

"About time you got here, I was getting impatient."

"No need to be rude, Gaia," replied the Chairman. "Hisoka just returned from a match with Vividus: Give him some slack."

"Oh?" she asked, staring at the Jester. "And how did that go?"

"It was quite a victory, I must say." The man purred, his mind spinning as he remembered Vividus's look.

"Victory?" Gaia repeated. "What is this fool talking about?"

As the chairman approached the woman, he whispered all the details to her ear. He explained what had happened during the duration of the fight. Gaia first nodded her head in understanding, taking in every detail offered by the man. But soon, her eyes widened in shock as the gossip became more intoxicating by the moment.

"He didn't!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, he did." Netero grinned and whispered wildly. "But here's the best part," he said.

Whispering further gossip into Gaia's ear, the Jester saw an amusing look on her face. Staring at her, the Jester saw a glint of approval in her eyes.

She nudged his arm as she walked up towards him and asked, "You wanted to win badly, didn't you?"

Looking down at Gaia, he didn't know what to say, as he shrugged his shoulders and didn't answer her question.

"Who knows." He chuckled to himself.

Her eyes rolled and she snorted. "How cruel of you Hisoka, now I have to check up on the kid to make sure she's okay."

Hisoka replied, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, I don't see any problem with this."

Gaia stared blankly at the man in front of her, not impressed. "You idiot, what do you know about women?"

Imagining the platinum blonde, Hisoka licked his lips in delight.

"Oh, believe me, I certainly understand women in... _different ways_."

Hisoka suddenly felt pain in the back of his head due to the perverted comment about the Kurta woman. He slowly lifted his head, shocked that Gaia would have the audacity to hit him.

"Do you want to die?" Hisoka asked as his perverted grin turned into an angry scowl.

Gaia huffed, her hands on her hips and her chest forward. "As if you can kill me, you stupid child."

As they stared at each other, Netero stared between the Jester and the Earth Element user. Letting out an awkward cough, the Chairman would give a sigh and both fighters snarled.

"Even though I would love for you two to fight, I think we should get down to business here. Gaia, you still need to take his measurements for his clothes. Hisoka, while she does that; we need to discuss your role." he noted.

Netero's words caused a sudden change in attitude within Gaia as she bowed to him. As she continued to walk away from him, He watched her gather the materials for his measurements. After gathering them, she instructed Hisoka to stand on a platform.

"Stand here and raise your arms straight. The Chairman will be providing you with one-on-one details regarding your role on this mission while I take your measurements."

"Oh? So I get my own debriefing?" Hisoka grinned, "I feel so special."

"Oh shut up," Gaia barked, taking out her measuring table. "Just pay attention to what he has to say."

Hisoka looked up at Netero sitting on a stool in front of him. As he chuckled, he would nod his head and do as he was told.

"Tell me, what do you remember from Vividus's Water Memory ability?" Netero asked.

"Besides your long tangent and Hizashis hatred for the criminal organization, the only thing that appears relevant to me is that Vivi-chan is keeping a tight watch over...Esther?" Hisoka asked, looking to the side.

"Correct," Netero said, "Anything more?"

"Yes, the meeting went into fascinating detail regarding Esther's experiments about the Nen Beasts, as well as the White Garden Project. I must say, I never realized your organization would get involved with such matters." Hisoka noted, "We are hunters after all, however, what I don't understand is what this mission has on your team that led you to take on this job!"

"You are correct, we are hunters! Those who have proven themselves through the exam are now considered elite members of humanity." Netero nodded his head. "However, when the government is offering us work; it's not an offer we can refuse. Particularly with so much on the line with this mission." He sighed.

"How so?" raised Hisoka's eyebrows.

"You see, regardless of our profession and what we hunt; in a way in order to keep the balance and our resources we have now. A Hunter's job is not only that of looking for treasures and hunting what we seek. But true Hunters dedicate themselves to the protection of knowledge, people, and nature. A 'hunt' can range from a task commissioned by a client to one ordered of the higher-ups of the organization, to a quest a Hunter goes on their own volition."

"Volition you say?" Hisoka asked, feeling Gaia measure his torso as he raised an eyebrow, "If that is the case, what is yours?"

"Oh, I'm quite a simple-minded man, Mr. Morow!" Netero chirped, playing with his beard, and soon smiled at the Jester;

"I like winning."

"Winning?" Hisoka asked, blinking.

"Winning," Netero said, concluding his words.

As he clapped his hands together, the room suddenly grew dark and dim; soon, a hologram appeared out of nowhere; showing an image of Esther and Sairo, the leader of the Dragurs.

"Unfortunately, The Dragurs believe that they are the strongest nen-users in our time. Despite their plan regarding the White Garden Project, and nen-beast experimentation; they believe that they are the true hunters of our time...but I reject this statement."

Hisoka suddenly felt a rush of ren emanate out of the chairman. Looking back at Gaia, he could even see her hands tremble a bit from his sudden burst of annoyance and power.

"They want to tip the scale and wreak havoc, and for that, I cannot simply idle by and let them do as they please. Especially when it involves exposing Nen to the public eye. Nen is considered a dangerous power that is kept hidden from the public at large to maintain balance in society. Not some magic trick."

The Chairman's aura suddenly spiked. Not because he was trying to intimidate the Jester, but because he was passionate.

"They are only children, people that think they are the leaders of the underworld. But as you can see, the moment they decide to come up to the surface, we are there to take them on and eliminate them. I am a winner, Mr. Morow, the world is balanced in a way, despite hardships, wars or other events that took place within our time."

Netero finished his last statement, finally controlling himself and his aura, the room no longer suffocating and overwhelming as before. As much as Hisoka wanted to soak in the aura of the old man, he was disappointed to find it ended so quickly.

Besides rescuing the children kidnapped for the White Garden Project, we aim to capture and bring in the others involved. I am still worried that Vividus' life is at risk. So I needed someone who would kill without remorse to save her; that's why I asked her to bring you in."

"Ah, there it is," Hisoka said, putting his hands down as Gaia finished taking his measurements. "That's why I don't seem to understand, Mr. Chairman. What's so special about the Kurta survivor?"

"You've seen her abilities for yourself, haven't you?" Netero asked, eyebrows raised.

Gaia now appeared beside the Chairman with a tray of tea in her hand. Passing it over, he thanked her and sipped from the cup of warm fluid; letting out a small sigh of contentment.

The hologram changed, now showing various pictures of Vividus and her battles at Heavens Arena.

"You see, her Aquatic Power is unsurpassed. You have no idea how fearsome her Water Control is. Especially when she is near the sea." He explained, "We already know Esther is all about Vividus, we know that she will do anything for her personal gain.

Although I wanted to keep the child away from these activities; the eyes of her brethren are involved. In addition to her being a blacklist, she is also seeking revenge. I care for her, but I can't get in the way of her own version of volition."

Netero was no longer playing with his beard. His eyes stared into Hisoka's golden hues. He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. Staring at the man before him.

"At the current moment, this mission is like playing chess. Both Sairo and I are the players and as you can see, neither of us wants to lose. I am unsure how far Sairo will go in order to sacrifice his pawns... but I'd rather not lose anyone on my side."

"Are you aware that this mission is extremely dangerous, right?" Hisoka taunted, raising an eyebrow. "From the way you and your hitman squad are descripting the Dragurs, one way or another someone is going to die."

"Oh yes I completely understand, and you see... I am a stubborn old man. I would rather not lose anyone on my team if it is possible." He sighed, "Mr. Morow, your role is to act as Vividus's bodyguard. All I ask is that you make sure that Vividus makes it out of his mission alive. No matter what happens to him, I ask that you protect her in any way necessary."

Hisoka grinned, surprised at the words that escaped his lips. "I'm allowed to use whatever means necessary?"

"Whatever you think would be best," Netero said, looking at Hisoka straight in the eye as he meant every word.

As he held onto his head, all Gaia and Netero could hear was laughter echo throughout Gaia's bedroom as the Jester let out an unsettling laugh.

"My, you are indeed an interesting man, Mr. Chairman." Hisoka laughed, "You are supposed to protect others, and you are letting me do whatever I want to ensure Vividus' safety. Let alone killing others. How hypocritical of you." He teased.

At that very moment, Hisoka couldn't help but to grin even more. After noticing the old man's cocky smile turned into a twisted grin, he let out a small laugh and stroked his beard again.

"Don't get me wrong, I stand by what I said about protecting others and saving the innocent," Netero said, "However, Members who belong to or associate themselves with Dragurs are not worth protecting, much less saving. Mr. Morow, if I'm being honest with you, their deaths are insignificant to me."

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

The Chairman dismissed Hisoka after the briefing and let him go back to his room for the evening. Watching him leave the room, Gaia sighed in relief, relieved that his suffocating aura was no longer there.

Looking back at the old man, she saw him hop off the stool he was sitting on, then walked over to the window and stared at the sky distantly.

"Mr. Chairman, what the hell was all that all about?" Gaia asked, standing by his side.

"Whatever do you mean?" He asked, smirking as he slipped his hands into his kimono sleeves.

"That debriefing," she said bluntly, "Honestly, now that I have seen Hisoka up close, I don't understand why you think Hisoka will be beneficial on this mission."

"Oh?" he inquired, "Please, explain."

"With all due respect, Hisoka is a psychopathic serial killer," Gaia said, lowering her gaze to look at the ground. "He gets turned on by fighting others, let alone killing others for fun. Hisoka would compromise the mission."

"I think you just gotta have faith," He said, shrugging his shoulders,

"Faith?" Gaia laughed, "I'm sorry sir, but I'm seriously questioning your choice right now. Vividus is at risk and you entrusted her to a clown, why are you so confident that Hisoka out of all people will keep her grounded?"

For once, Netero didn't have any sassy remarks or an immediate response. She blinked a few times, wondering why the strongest man in front of her is actually quiet, white noise behind them became unsettling as it intensified around the two figures.

Upon hearing him let out a small sigh, Gaia would look up at him. His brown eyes bore deep into her own emerald green ones. She was looking at her in a way that made Gaia surprised at how his expression was filled with determination and confidence with his words.

"I am certain Mr. Morow will take good care of Vividus, seeing how he has looked at our beloved Kurta woman," Netero said confidently, "Despite what their paths may bring, they have always stood by each other regardless of their differences. Both of them always kept an eye out for the other from afar."

He then chuckled softly, looking away from the woman to gaze at the crescent moon rising in the sky. "According to an old friend of mine, I remember her telling me that their fates are always intertwined;

> **Just like the red string of fate."**

* * *

**[Author's Note]**

**Ok so, the reason why I've been so behind with the updates, is not only I've been working through this pandemic.**

**BUT I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I FINALLY FINISHED REVISING THE CHAPTERS!**

***insert confetti here***

**I have added new scenes in certain chapters and changed up certain scenarios to make the chapters and the flow of the story better. If you have the chance, reread the chapters if you can! If you can, that would be great :)  
HOWEVER; if you just started this fanfic this week, don't worry about re-reading it! You have read my fully updated version of this fanfic. I hope you guys like the story so far ^-^**

**I've also been working on the Kite x OC story (soon to be released, non of you are ready for what I have planned for this.)**

**I also may have been brainstorming ideas for a Golden Kamuy (I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS SHOW) x OC fanfic and a Sukuna (from Jujutsu Kaisen) x OC fanfic...so stay tune >:3 **

**I LOVE YOU GUYS AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL! THANK YOU FOR READING MY FANFIC UP TO THIS POINT.**

**AND REMEMBER, STAY SAFE EVERYONE!**


	37. Dance x Lessons

> _**C H A P T E R T H I R T Y - S I X**_

**It was one o'clock in the afternoon for the platinum blonde.**

Currently, Vividus is sitting in a cafeteria in the airship, enjoying a cup of coffee and a brunch. She enjoyed the view of the sky from her table of the large window while watching the clouds go by. Sipping on her beverage between bites of food and relaxing as she consumed her meal.

Apart from the food on her table, there were a bunch of papers all over her table. Each document contained information about Esther, the Dragurs, Eden, and the kidnapped children for the White Garden Project. In addition to her paperwork of a mess, she had notes scattered all over the table while she was figuring out the plan.

She also felt on edge because she hadn't heard nor seen Hisoka for the past few days.

It's been nearly three days since they left for Jappon. As the hours passed, Vividus was surprised to not run into the Jester since their sparring match. She expected Hisoka to pester her as usual whenever she's around him. Back in Heaven's arena, he tried his best to get close to her every chance he got.

Even though they are in close proximity to one another, the clown has never approached her. This was surprising to her, given that the fuschia-haired man usually doesn't hesitate to approach her.

Even for Vividus, she thought it odd that the Jester hadn't bugged her. Let alone for two days.

Twirling the contents in her cup, she stared down at the cup in thought.

 _'I wonder what he's been up to,'_ Vividus thought, taking another sip of her drink.

Scanning the documents in front of the poor woman, it was obvious that she was starting to feel pressured about the mission. As she took down some notes and tried her best on how to carry out the mission, Vividus didn't want to fail on this one.

Based on her time spent undercover, Esther knows information about the eyes of her Brethren and where they could be. Even so, in order to obtain the answers she needed, she had no choice but to attend the Gala event.

She has no idea why Esther wants her to come so bad, but she couldn't refuse her offer. As a ' _friend'_ to her, she has to do whatever it takes to make sure she and the rest of Eden are defeated.

She would run her fingers through her delicate hair as she set the cup of coffee down on the table. Vividus felt frustrated that the mission will occur within the next two weeks. Once they reach Jappon, her mission will resume and she will have to go undercover again.

But this time, with Hisoka by her side. She isn't exactly sure what role he is going to play in all this. As much as she wanted to protest against his orders; she couldn't defy the chairman. All she knows is she has to put her faith into Netero, just as he has done for her.

Sinking deeper into her seated cushion, she let out a stressful sigh while groaning as she felt her mind about to explode.

"Ah, so this is where you've been hiding," A familiar voice called out to her. "Damn sugar, you should really take a break."

Looking over, she would see her dearest friend, Gaia. She stood before her, her thick black hair in a fluffy pigtail and wearing workout gear and heels – an odd choice in Vividus's opinion.

Vividus replied, "You know I can't, we're going to arrive in Jappon in a few days. I need to gather as much intel as I can before I go undercover again."

"But sweet-pea," Gaia said, frowning, "I know you work hard, but even someone like you needs to rest."

"A breather?" Vividus scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "There's so much at stake here; I'm the only one who has even remotely gotten close to Esther- "

As Esther came into her mind and announced her name, a small memory flashed before her. She remembered the wonderful kids and Tobias. Her memories suddenly shifting towards a horrid scene Esther showed her with that sinister smile on her lips.

"-After what I saw that day...I feel like I can't relax. It's hard to do so." Vividus said, looking away.

The tall woman stared down at the platinum-blonde who was also frowning. Gaia wasn't exactly sure what she saw that day. But from what she described when she came back; it was so inhuman that it would make you question your sanity.

She understands very well why the Kurta woman is feeling what she's feeling. The poor girl has been through a lot of hardships since she met the woman before her. But as a team member and friend, she refused to let her spiral out of control and destroy herself. Not like that.

"Well, lucky for you; I'm here to retrieve you for a training session," Gaia replied, "So you can take some time away from that paperwork."

"Training session?" Vividus asked suspiciously, "I train with Hizashi already. What else is there to do in terms of training?"

With that, Vividus watches Gaia's lips turn into a playful smile. As she grabbed ahold of the Kurta woman; she started to drag her away from her paperwork. Started to giggle a bit like a mad woman towards her friend.

"Well sugar, you are going to be attending a Gala soon are you not?" Gaia said, "So tell me...do you know how to dance?"

**~.:x_X_x:.~**

"I can't believe we're doing this," Vividus said, struggling to stand in the stiletto heels Gaia had forced her to wear.

"You've got to learn how to dance in them!" Gaia proclaimed, "If you wear simple wedge heels to a Gala, you'll look like a fool."

"What's wrong with wedge heels?" Vividus replied, "I like wearing them... they're so comfortable to move around in."

Yes, but this is a formal event. If I want to make you the star of the show, I won't let you wear wedges with the dress I have in mind for you." She said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, this will be excellent practice for you. I can imagine all the men just grovelling before you. Asking you to dance!"

As Gaia's imagination ran wild, she started to giggle to herself at the possibilities of what could happen at this event. "My precious Vivi is going to be a princess!"

The platinum blonde laughed at her comment. "Princess...yeah right."

Although Vividus was struggling to walk her heels; Gaia allowed her to take a hold of her arm and walked along with the poor woman. The Earth Element couldn't help but laugh a bit. Thinking how cute it was how a formidable fighter such as Vividus cannot dance. Let alone, having a hard time walking in stiletto heels.

"You'll do great." She said confidently, "Relax and enjoy this training session."

"How could anyone enjoy dancing in heels such as these?! Can you imagine standing in them for hours? !" Vividus exclaimed."

As both women were on the topic of dancing, she glanced over towards Gaia. Her eyes narrowed and she stared at her friend with a suspicious expression.

"Who will be my dance partner?" She inquired bluntly, unafraid to talk. "Clearly, I wouldn't go alone into a dance like this."

"If I told you who it was," Gaia replied, now standing in front of the training room they approached. "You wouldn't have agreed to it."

Before Vividus could protest, the woman stepped out of the training doors and entered the room, entering with total confidence.

When entering the doors, the Kurta woman felt her eyes widen in shock. Her jaw dropped as she was surprised to see the sight that was in front of her eyes.

The music reverberated through her ears as she watched two men dance in front of her. As the rhythm of the music played throughout the room, she watched them dance in sync with the music.

A certain Fuschia-haired man was the student and the other tall male with long blonde hair tied in a bun with blue eyes was taking the lead. Kuuki, the Elementos member who represents air. Staring at the two men in disbelief, it was a duo she would never have imagined dancing together.

Ever.

"K-Kuuki?" Vividus stammered.

The moment the music ended, Hisoka and Kuuki looked over at the blonde. As she watched the blonde man smile brightly towards her, he let go of Hisoka and began to approach the young woman.

"Vivi dear, it's been forever now, hasn't it?" He asked brightly.

"It has," She conceded. "What are you doing here with Hisoka?"

"Oh, this?" He inquired, gesturing towards the training room. "Oh, I'm just training Hisoka on how to dance properly for the mission."

"D-dance?" She asked, looking past Kuuki just to catch the Jester smirking at her, giving her a small wave.

"Exactly!" Kuuki smiled, "Isn't that why you're also here, to train with Hisoka for the Gala?"

Her eyes widened as an idea suddenly struck Vividus. As she spun around toward Gaia, all she could see was her friend giving her an evil smile. A glint in her eye as though she had been planning something all along.

Finally connecting the dots on Gaia's question to dancing, and now to Hisoka who is here, training with Kuuki. He just happens to be in sweats and everything. Glaring, she was not at all impressed with the situation.

"I guess so..." Vividus held the side of her arm as she gazed at the side.

Everyone could see the visible discomfort on Vividus' face. She's never done this before, and her encounter with the Jester hasn't been the best either.

She couldn't figure out why, but ever since that sparring match, Hisoka would always pop up in her mind. No matter how hard she tried to ignore him, he always seems to appear in one way or another.

 _'I'm such a mess,'_ Vividus thought to herself, _'why is Hisoka making me feel this way?'_

But now not only does she have to train and learn how to dance, but she's also going to be Hisoka's dance partner. Gaia knew exactly what she was doing and this is causing the poor young woman even more anxiety than she already has.

"Why are you nervous Vivi-chan?" Hisoka purred, now approaching the platinum blonde. "It'll be fun!"

"I'm going to look like a fool." She said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know if you noticed: but I don't really work well with these heels."

"It's not bad once you get used to it." He smirked, quickly lowering himself to match her height. "I promise I'll be gentle with you."

Feeling her cheeks turn red, she looked away from the Jester and gave him a gentle push. This made him laugh due to how adorable she was acting.

"Alright kids, enough flirting," Kuuki said, sighing. "Now let's start this thing. Hisoka, based on your recent progress you will take the lead. Vivi, I want you to try your best and follow his lead. We'll go from the top and work from there."

Hearing Kuuki claps his hands, Vividus knew that as soon as he's serious, he will work hard to get things done. In all honesty, she was a little stunned that a man such as him knows how to dance, let alone in the ballroom.

Now she faces a new challenge; looking up, she only sees the smirking Jester before her. Extending his hand towards Vividus, he bows slightly towards the Kurta woman.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, sounding smooth as honey.

Watching him stretch out his hand and wondering what to do next, she worried a bit and hesitated to take it. Her shoulders tensed as her stomach fluttered with anxiety and stress. She doesn't understand why, but she felt was as if invisible chains were holding her back.

She looked away from the Jester at first, uncertain if she was able to look him straight in the eye. But as she turned her gaze to face the man once more; her hazel-grey eyes widened in shock a bit. Only to see Hisoka looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Vividus doesn't understand why, but his gaze made all her anxieties go away.

But even though her mind was thinking so many negative thoughts, her body started to move on its own. As she extended her hand out toward the fushia-haired man, she would gently take his hand. A spark swept through her body as he tightened his grip around her delicate fingers. Feeling a small tug at the corner of her lips, she couldn't help but smirk back towards the Jester before her.

"You may."

Watching Hisoka prop himself back up, he suddenly radiated with an intense burst of energy. When she felt the Jester pull her close to him. Hisoka placed one of her hands on top of his shoulder, while the other hand was held by his strong hand. While doing so, he would place his free hand on her hips, suddenly pulling her closer to his body.

"Perfect Hisoka!" Kuuki called, "Thank you for putting her in place! Let's start from the very top now!"

On cue, the music started playing.

At first, Vividus was paying attention to Kuuki's instructions on what needs to be done. Despite following his instruction, Vividus still found this a struggle. Particularly with the heels, Gaia had provided her. The pain in her heels was unbearable and she lost track of how many times she stepped on Hisoka.

The dance lessons Kuuki taught were a lot. First, there was ballroom dancing, then the tango, then the Waltz, and even Swing. The platinum-blonde was surprised to discover how much dancing the Air element member knows. Kuuki increased the difficulty for both Hisoka and Vividus as they improved over time.

Oddly enough, no matter how much Vividus struggled to learn the routine, Hisoka was nothing but patient and didn't mind it at all. Sure, there were definitely some flirtatious comments here and there, but Jester has never been angry with her at all.

During her dance lessons, she was bound to make mistakes. There are times when had Kuuki to stop them midway. Providing feedback and providing them with a couple of helpful tips on how to improve their dance.

Initially, she thought this training session would be short, but soon after it turned into a couple of hours of perfecting the dance. Even though she feels silly learning these moves, she is enjoying the dance lessons.

A few hours turned into three full days of training. Vividus didn't realize that dancing is an art to be perfected, just like fighting. This is the sort of training that she never expected to be tough at all. If anything she found a new respect for those who dance as a profession.

Back when her people were alive, her people were never the ones in the whole ballroom dancing business. The only time dancing was involved is when the clan is celebrating a large event. From what she remembered, there was dancing involved around the bonfire, along with lots of singing and various instruments being played. But other than that, her people were actually strict and reserved individuals. The only open-minded people she knew at the time were her parents, Pairo, and Kurapika.

Bit by bit, Vividus was able to get better at dancing. At some point, it was no longer an issue for her to dance in stiletto heels. She felt accomplished because she was able to walk around in them with no issues. Sure, her heels hurt at some point, but soon the pain started to fade and she genuinely got better at dancing.

Even with everything that happened, dancing with Hisoka was a moment that she would never have expected to happen. Despite her struggle with dancing, the Kurta woman was mostly impressed with Hisoka. Throughout their time training together, Hisoka was a natural. Even with everything that happened, Hisoka dancing with her was a moment she never expected to occur between the two of them. His ability to catch on so quickly and follow his instincts was impeccable. The fact that Hisoka was an amazing dancer was a pleasant surprise to her.

But then soon enough, a thought suddenly hit her.

 _'I know nothing about Hisoka at all.'_ She thought to herself, moving to the beat of the music, 'Yet, he knows so much about me.'

As the music started up once more, the sweet tunes now started to fade out and become white noise in the background. Vividus would look up towards Hisoka, her eyes now looking at him with a curious glint in her eyes.

"You know Hisoka," She said, dancing side to side with the Jester. "I'm surprised you know how to dance so well."

"Really?" He asked, lifting his arm up as he twirled her body around, "Why is this surprising?"

"I don't know," She admitted, now placing her hand on his shoulder again. "I've always viewed you as a fighter. Not a well...dancer."

Hearing her statement, Hisoka couldn't help but laugh a bit, causing Vividus to raise an eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing" He replied, "You know, it wasn't that long ago that I used to work in a circus once." He explained, swaying her as they followed the rhythm of the music. "I figured learning ballroom dance would not be an issue for me due to the circus acts I did when I was younger."

After hearing Hisoka's response, she laughed a bit as well, causing Hisoka to raise an eyebrow a bit towards the woman.

"What's so funny?"

"I knew you were a clown." She replied bluntly, "But I never knew you actually grew up as one. Let alone being part of a circus. That explains a lot about your appearance if I'm being honest."

"Well I can assure you that joining the circus wasn't an easy feat," he said. "I grew up in Glam Gas City in the harshest conditions. My family all passed on except for me so I was alone from the start."

He spun Vividus around and watched her elegant movements. As he watched her body gracefully spin, he drew her back toward him and caught her in his arms shortly after. Her hair flowing and letting it fall peacefully back on her shoulders.

"One day I was attacked by a couple of bandits and left for dead. However, the circus' Ringleader; Moritonio found me and he took me in. During my time there, I noticed that none of the Circus Troupe members liked me much."

On cue, the music between the two dancers changed. It was no longer the slow ballroom music; now it was more speeded up on the acoustic guitar. The guitar sounded like tango beats but the strings on it were strung fast. Their steps began to pick up, and both parties were able to read each other's minds in terms of where their next steps would be.

"You see, I always wanted to be a part of their troupe." He said, smirking slightly. "I replaced one of the jugglers' partners because he got hurt. It was only when I proved I was capable of performing the act at the Princess Hotel that the performer felt forced to comply. By the end of the show, everyone was practicing in secret to avoid me."

After hearing that part, Vividus couldn't help but notice. She inquired, now curious about Hisoka's story. As she spun her body outwards, Hisoka would catch her hand and pull her back towards his body and wrap his arms around her waist.

"But why?" Her innocent question was, "Why did they end up training in secret?"

When she asked that question, the music reached its peak. As he grinned at her, he would gently slide his hand down her thigh and use the other to bring her close to his body. As he trailed his fingers down her leg, he would lift it and dip her body toward his own, their lower bodies pressing against each other. It was a lot closer than Vividus anticipated.

"Because in their opinion," He led close to her, "I was nothing but a slum brat. They were scared I would steal their routine, just as I did with the jugglers."

Hearing his words sent shivers down her spine. As she slowly lifted her hand, she gently pressed her hand against his chest. As she pushed him away, a small blush appeared on her cheeks. It was faint, but Hisoka noticed and couldn't help but to smirk playfully.

"It brings out your complexation when you blush, Vivi-chan."

"S-Shut up Hisoka." Vividus snapped, unravelling her legs from Hisoka's hands.

She trailed her right hand down his chest and stood back up. As she spun out of Hisoka's grasp, she turned right behind the Jester. Leaning her back against his own. Leaning her head back into his shoulder.

"You know," She said softly, "After knowing you for a few years now, that is the most I've ever learned about your past."

Following this, she walked slowly around Hisoka's body, placing her hands on the Jester's shoulder and placing them on his chest. The male and female could both hear their feet tapping against the beat as the Fuschia-haired man grabbed hold of her again.

As Hisoka kneeled down, he had Vividus spin around gently as she leaned her back against his upper leg. With her hands swinging back, her legs gracefully flew upwards as she was essentially embraced by him.

"You see Vivi-chan," He said, pushing her up the leg from which she came. He spins her around and held her in his arms, wearing a sly grin on his lips. "You never asked. However, I'd love to share more in the near future."

They were both panting heavily while they stared at one another; surprised at how they managed to be in sync throughout the whole dance. His golden hues stared deeply into her hazel-grey ones as the music ended with the Jester and the Kurta woman.

"Over dinner of course," Hisoka said, teasing the woman as she blushed even more. "What do you say?"

Vividus doesn't understand why, but it felt to her like she was in a trance throughout the whole dance. In the short time of that dance lesson, she has learned so much more about Hisoka than she had in the last few years of knowing him. In the Jester's favour, she was impressed with how smoothly and fast Hisoka was able to lead the dance.

The whole experience was memorable to Vividus. Even though she was a complete novice throughout the training, she was actually thankful for Hisoka. Although she felt negative feelings toward the man at first, she is gradually changing her feelings.

She doesn't know why.

Until Hisoka pulled her back up. She looked towards the Jester, giving him a sly smile as she walked away and gave him her final answer.

> **"It's a date."**

* * *

**[AUTHOR'S NOTE]**

Hihi, I'm still here XD   
Honestly, I don't know why but I'm very mixed feelings about this chapter. I hope you guys like it though! 

I also released a new book called "Being Human | Ryomen Sukuna x OC", check it out when you get the chance!

ALSO, I PROMISE I'LL RELEASE THE KITE X OC FANFIC AT SOME POINT. I'm just having a hard time starting it up. Considering there isn't a lot of fanfic based on Kite out there, I really wanted to make it special for you guys ;__; 

Anywho, I hope all of you are doing well. Take care, everyone! 

-NezuVIX


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